Governor Kathy Hochul has been a staunch supporter and defender of Israel's ongoing siege and bombardment of Gaza and sanctioned settler violence in the occupied West Bank, even going so far as to travel to Israel a few weeks after the Hamas attacks of October 7, despite being told her father was on his deathbed.
For Hochul, her unwavering support of Israel is reflexive—Israel, in her mind, has a right to defend itself, no matter the consequences to civilian populations.
Last Thursday, Hochul spoke at a fundraiser of the UJA-Federation of New York, which, according to the Intercept, "has been accused of sending millions in tax-exempt dollars to organizations that support Israel’s illegal settlement program in the occupied West Bank." The UJA-Federation also originally paid for Hochul's October trip to Israel; after criticism, she then said her own office would cover the expense.
While at the fundraiser, Hochul reiterated her support of Israel and its actions in Gaza and the West Bank.
"If Canada someday ever attacked Buffalo, I'm sorry my friends, there would be no Canada the next day," Hochul said. "That's a natural reaction. You have a right to defend yourself and to make sure it never happens again."
Before Hochul could elaborate on her blood-soaked fantasy of raining white phosphorus on the mountains of Vancouver, drone-striking cathedrals in Montréal, or bombing pediatric wards in Mississauga, Hochul, whose UJA appearance was not on her public schedule, issued a deeply guarded apology.
"I regret using an inappropriate analogy that I now realize could be hurtful to members of our community," Hochul said in a statement to press outlets over the weekend. "While I have been clear in my support of Israel's right to self-defense, I have also repeatedly said and continue to believe that Palestinian civilian casualties should be avoided and that more humanitarian aid must go to the people of Gaza."
Some New York lawmakers were not impressed by the analogy or the apology. According to a Siena College poll released today, 43 percent of voters think Hochul is out of touch with average New Yorkers. What does the average New Yorker really think about carpet-bombing Canada? This was not polled.
Here are some news links about our very normal world:
- Speaking of Hochul, she is now renting an apartment in Manhattan, but her office will not disclose in which neighborhood (the Post's sources say "Midtown East").
- Speaking of the rest of us, good luck renting an apartment anywhere in the city.
- Bob Menendez, very horny.
- The literary legacy of New York's most notorious jail.
- Brooklyn metal and hardocre bar St. Vitus was shut down by the Department of Buildings mid-show over the weekend.
- STFU, we don't care.
- Oh noooo, fewer reckless asshole truck drivers on NYC streets? Nooooo, we wouldn't want that.
- Former NYPD cop kills passenger after he flipped his sports car while drunk.
- Take a huge rip of New York's chaotic rollout of legal weed with Jia Tolentino.
- Then munch on this Q&A about legal weed shops after.
- Brooklyn Nets in free fall. Maybe it would be easier just to return to New Jersey at this point?
- It's taking longer for first responders to arrive at emergencies, and it's possibly having deadly consequences.
- The NYPD is so over-funded and thin-skinned that it's now spending time running to friendly news stations to defend the existence of its dance team. Real late empire moments out here these days.
- And finally, in that spirit, seems like the NYPD is totally following a recent settlement regarding their ultra-violent policing of protests:
