Israeli Consul Invites NYC Mayor Mamdani to View October 7 Atrocities Film
Israeli Consul General Ofir Akunis has invited New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani to view the IDF's 47-minute October 7 massacre footage amid escalating tensions.
The confrontation between New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the Israeli government is escalating ahead of the third anniversary of the October 7 massacre. Israel's Consul General in New York, Ofir Akunis, invited Mamdani to view the 47-minute IDF footage documenting the Hamas onslaught, which is scheduled to be screened in New York on Wednesday. Akunis addressed him in an official letter and during a speech at the consulate's memorial ceremony, sharply criticizing his rhetoric against Israel.
"In less than 48 hours, on October 7, we will screen in New York City the 47-minute atrocities film produced by the IDF," Akunis told about 1,000 attendees at the ceremony. "I invite Mayor Zohran Mamdani to attend and watch the film. He will be able to see for himself what the people he supports actually did, and perhaps he will stop his relentless incitement, hatred, and blood libels against the State of Israel. Anyone who watches this film with a human heart will understand who the real enemy is."
The invitation was also sent to Mamdani in an official letter dated October 5. Akunis invited him to participate in the screening marking three years since the massacre, noting that the film includes footage filmed by Hamas terrorists themselves using GoPro cameras. He urged Mamdani to arrive with an "open heart" and witness the documentation of the October 7 events.
Akunis claimed in the letter that Mamdani's rhetoric against the State of Israel is the "root cause" of the rise in antisemitism in New York. "Perhaps after watching the film you will truly understand why the Jewish state is so important and why we will continue to defend ourselves, no matter against whom and no matter when," he wrote.
Mamdani has publicly condemned the October 7 attack, defining it as a "horrific war crime," and stated his opposition to antisemitism. At the same time, he remains one of the harshest critics of Israeli policy in Gaza, accusing Israel of "genocide," a claim that Israel categorically rejects. The friction also involves Mamdani's stance on Zionism and Israel's identity as a Jewish state.
