The wife of New York City’s mayor, Rama Duwaji, harbors a past marked by unsettling expressions of support for individuals and groups linked to terrorism, a history revealed through archived social media posts from her youth.
A detailed examination of Duwaji’s former Tumblr and X accounts uncovered a pattern of admiration for figures actively involved in violent acts, raising serious questions about the political leanings of the couple now residing in Gracie Mansion.
In 2017, Duwaji shared an image of Leila Khaled, a notorious militant responsible for participating in two airplane hijackings, alongside a chilling statement: “If it does good for my cause, I’ll be happy to accept death.” Khaled’s organization, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, is officially designated as a terrorist group by the U.S. State Department.
The posts reveal a disturbing pattern. In 2015, on International Women’s Day, Duwaji lauded Shadia Abu Ghazaleh, a Palestinian woman who died while constructing a bomb intended for use in Tel Aviv. Ghazaleh had previously engaged in other terrorist activities, including a bus bombing.
Duwaji’s online commentary extended to direct criticism of American military personnel. A 2015 post condemned U.S. soldiers engaged in overseas conflicts, accusing them of “mercilessly slaughtering 3rd world civilians” and fighting to uphold American dominance.
Her outrage was also directed at the inclusion of Tel Aviv in Snapchat’s live story feature. Duwaji responded with vehement condemnation, stating the city “shouldn’t exist in the first place” and labeling its inhabitants as “occupiers” supporting a “genocidal state.”
While some criticize the scrutiny of Duwaji’s past, a clear distinction exists between youthful indiscretions and the public endorsement of individuals and ideologies associated with terrorism, coupled with disparagement of those who serve in the military.
Duwaji’s formative years were spent largely in the Middle East, moving to Dubai in 2006 and attending university in Qatar and Richmond, Virginia. It was during this period that she openly expressed support for figures involved in regional conflicts.
The controversy surrounding Duwaji is compounded by recent events involving her husband, the mayor. He recently attended an iftar hosted by the FDNY Islamic Society, an event that sparked outrage when Muslim prayer mats were placed in front of a memorial honoring firefighters lost on 9/11.
The placement of these mats directly in front of the memorial has been widely condemned as a callous disregard for the memory of those who perished in the attacks, a devastating act of terror on American soil.
Critics argue that the incident, combined with Duwaji’s past statements, represents a disturbing trend – the elevation of individuals who appear to minimize the impact of terrorism and disrespect the sacrifices made to combat it.
