A group that runs a luxury, Islamic-themed women’s retreat, where Rama Duwaji, the wife of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, was an “artist-in-residence,” has made social media posts advocating for the destruction of Israel and calling for the “cleansing” of Palestine from its perceived oppressors.
An October 2025 Instagram post from the Women Sanctuary, the organization behind the retreat where Duwaji participated in a “Journey through Islamic Calligraphy” in Porto, Portugal, claimed that “the apartheid colonial state of Israel has committed a genocide against the Palestinian people.”
The post went on to urge followers to “abolish the colonial apartheid state of Israel. Free Palestine,” as first highlighted by a report.
In a lengthy May 2024 Instagram update, the group expressed a desire for freedom to “illuminate the blessed lands of Palestine, from the river to the sea.” This phrase is often viewed as antisemitic by many, who argue it suggests a call for the elimination of Israel and its population.
In September 2024, the group also shared a prayer to “Allah,” asking for the “liberation of Palestine,” which included a plea to “cleanse Palestine from tyranny and from its oppressors.”
Another post from March 2025 stated: “May the winds of freedom sweep across Palestine, ushering in the complete and rightful restoration of the land’s true stewards.”
Duwaji, who is 29, conducted a “marvelous illustration workshop” at the Women Sanctuary retreat earlier this summer. Attendees paid between $4,300 for shared accommodations and up to $5,260 for private rooms with baths in the serene setting of Arcos de Valdevez.
Notably, Duwaji has a history of expressing anti-U.S. and anti-Israel sentiments on her social media profiles.
In July, she generated controversy for opting out of the celebration for America’s 250th birthday in favor of attending another Women Sanctuary retreat on Mallorca, a Spanish resort island. This revelation comes at a time when her husband proposed an initiative to address antisemitism in New York City, which notably did not acknowledge Zionism.
