John Spencer Challenges Mamdani Over His October 7 Post
Mamdani condemned Hamas’s October 7 killings before accusing Israel of genocide. Spencer rejected the accusation and said the mayor’s message fuels hatred against Jews.
Military analyst John Spencer sharply criticized New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on October 8 over the mayor’s statement marking three years since the October 7 Hamas attack. His response disputed Mamdani’s allegations about Gaza and accused him of dishonoring the victims.
What Mamdani wrote
In his October 7 message, also published by the Mayor’s Office, Mamdani condemned Hamas’s killings and abductions. He said more than 1,100 Israelis had been killed and 251 people abducted, and expressed solidarity with New Yorkers grieving those losses.
He then accused the Israeli government of an ongoing genocide in Gaza, saying it had killed more than 74,000 Palestinians, including more than 21,000 children. He also cited more than 1,400 Palestinian deaths since the ceasefire. These were figures and accusations presented by Mamdani.
The mayor criticized US arms shipments, accused Washington of complicity and called for freedom, safety and dignity for everyone.
Spencer rejects the genocide accusation
“Such a disgusting post,” Spencer began his response on X. He rejected the genocide allegation and pointed to a letter that he said was supported by more than 75 US military generals and legal experts.
Spencer also disputed attributing 74,000 Palestinian deaths to the Israeli government. He argued that killing enemy combatants in war is not, in itself, a war crime, and emphasized that this war began with the October 7 invasion, killings, rape and abduction of civilians.
His warning about antisemitism
Spencer accused Mamdani of spreading falsehoods that fuel antisemitism and attacks threatening Jewish communities in New York and across the United States. He said the post helped no one, including New Yorkers, and sought to demonize and delegitimize Israel through double standards.
Those were Spencer’s accusations about the message and its effects. His post did not identify a specific attack caused by Mamdani’s statement.
