Assembly slap at socialists’ ‘no travel’ call
ALBANY — Assembly Democrats are up in arms over the the New York City chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America calling on political candidates not to travel to Israel.
Dozens of state lawmakers signed off on a statement Tuesday condemning the progressive party’s stance, a move sure to ratchet up tensions as a quartet of Democratic Socialist-linked candidates are expected to join their ranks next year.
“No political organization that embeds anti-Semitism into its platform should be welcome in the halls of our Legislature,” the lawmakers wrote. “The [party’s] position cannot be rationalized. It is offensive, anti-Semitic and dangerous, particularly at a time when anti-Semitism is on the rise in the United States and in the
New York area.”
The criticism follows media reports from last week that revealed a candidate questionnaire the progressive party sent to City Council candidates included a pledge to “not to travel to Israel if elected.”
Sumathy Kumar, co-chairwoman of the party, said on social media last week that the upstart group, which has chalked up a string of major wins in recent elections, wants prospective candidates who will respect the wishes of Palestinians living “under military occupation and siege.”
“Given that there has been an explicit call from Palestinians to not go on such government junkets and to put pressure on Israel to end the occupation and discrimination through boycott, divestment and sanctions, we asked prospective candidates whether they would respect that call,” Kumar said.
The Assembly statement is signed by more than 50 lawmakers, including Assemblymen Joseph Lentol and Walter Mosley, both Brooklyn Dems who lost June primaries to Democratic Socialist-backed or affiliated candidates.