Staff of New York Metropolis Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s Division of Well being have created a “working group” that accuses Israel of committing genocide, The Publish has realized.
The “International Oppression and Public Well being Working Group” held its first assembly Tuesday afternoon — the center of the workday — with members gathering on the division’s headquarters in Lengthy Island Metropolis, in addition to remotely.
“We actually developed in response to the continued genocide in Palestine,” one presenter stated close to the start of the assembly, in line with video obtained by The Publish.
“And the working group goals to deal with the rising pursuits among the many well being division employees to study present and ongoing world oppression in its many varieties and the way it influences the development of well being fairness,” the presenter stated.
No point out of Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 assault on Israel that provoked the Jewish state’s retaliatory response and the brutal battle in Gaza that adopted was made throughout the greater than one-hour presentation, in line with a transcript of the assembly and a supply who attended.
The flyer for the occasion was circulated close to the elevator banks within the DOH constructing, a division worker stated.
“This can be a assembly utilizing New York Metropolis Division of Well being assets that promote libel in opposition to the Jewish folks,” fumed Yael Halaas, president of the American Jewish Medical Affiliation.
The one-sided politicization of the company was “inflicting a rift amongst workers and sapping morale,” a Jewish DOH employee stated.
“We simply wish to do our jobs to assist New Yorkers and set the tone for public well being,” the disgusted whistleblower stated.
“The presentation talks in regards to the struggling of Palestinians. Why? They by no means point out Hamas,” stated the worker, who requested anonymity.
The staffer additionally claimed that her woke colleagues by no means point out antisemitism in the case of confronting oppression as a result of they don’t think about white Jews as victims.
Sarah Mckenney, a director of operations for the fast response workforce on the DOH, was one of many organizers, and launched the audio system.
Weeam Hammoudeh, a professor at Hunter School and committee member for the Palestine International Psychological Well being Community, was one of many presenters — and accused Israel of treating Palestinians as second-class residents throughout the assembly.
“So Palestinian residents of Israel are residents however they’re not thought of nationals of the state in order that they’re extra restricted when it comes to the areas that they’ll reside in after which some like jobs and different alternatives additionally require army service, and that creates one other set of type of disparities in outcomes,” she stated.
She talked in regards to the historical past of Israel and the “compelled displacements and dispossession” of Palestinians and residing within the “occupied territories.”
The Publish reached out to the DOH and to the mayor’s workplace for remark.
Mamdani is a longtime Israel basher. He helps the boycott, divestment and sanctions motion in opposition to the Jewish state and has himself accused Israel of commiting genocide in Gaza.
