Andrew Yang wasnāt alone among Democrats in expressing support for Israel as violence escalated between the nation-state and Palestinians.
Yang tweeted Monday night, āIām standing with the people of Israel who are coming under bombardment attacks, and condemn the Hamas terrorists.ā
But he earned plaudits from Republicans.
Stephen Miller, a top adviser to Donald Trump, called Yang āexactly rightā and contrasted his position with that of Rep. Ilhan Omar.
Sen. Ted Cruz did the same, tweeting, āBravo.ā
Talk show host Meghan McCain also lauded him.
Yang said plainly that he didnāt want their praise.
āI certainly would never ask for or want their support,ā he said.
The candidate for mayor found a less receptive audience at an unrelated stop in Astoria Park, where passersby recognized and accosted him. Here is part of the confrontation that NY1 witnessed.
āWhat do you have to say about your tweet? Directly to New Yorkers, right now?" an unidentified woman asked.
"Itās heartbreaking to all of us whatās happening in the Middle East," Yang said.
"Itās heartbreaking?" a man named Abid Rahman followed up.
"It is, it is. People are dying; civilians are dying," Yang said.
"Do you condemn Israel for that? Do you condemn Israel for their unjust acts against innocent Palestinians?ā Rahman asked before Yang aides pulled the candidate away.
Yang, who has support from key Orthodox Jewish leaders in New York, also acknowledged Tuesday he was uninvited to an event hosted by the Astoria Welfare Society to mark the Muslim holiday month of Ramadan.
He had been slated to give out groceries ahead of Eid.
āHe should have sided with both sides. He should have looked into the Palestinian side,ā said organizer Juel Ahmed, adding: āHe looked like a really good candidate to me but heās not getting my vote and I donāt want him as a mayor for my city.ā
One of the New Yorkers who stopped Yang in Astoria Park said the conflict is not just about Israeli soldiers and Hamas militants, but about humanity.
āHe went to bat for Israel, completely disregarding the lives of Palestinians lost," Rahman said. "Nine children were lost in one rocket. Four from one family.ā
By the end in the day, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, whose district includes part of Astoria, was also weighing in.
She tweeted, āUtterly shameful for Yang to try to show up to an Eid event after sending out a chest-thumping statement of support for a strike killing 9 children.ā