NYC Politician's Spouse Criticized Over Praise for Late Palestinian Artist

Rama Duwaji, the spouse of New York City politician Zohran Mamdani, has faced severe backlash following reports that she praised late Palestinian artist Sliman Mansour as a primary inspiration for her work. An investigative report by the Washington Free Beacon revealed that Mansour, who passed away in August, had a documented history of supporting terrorism, praising Hamas leaders, and promoting antisemitic conspiracy theories, including Holocaust denial.

Controversial Artistic Inspirations

In a promotional video released earlier this year, Duwaji, a Brooklyn-based illustrator and animator, proudly described Mansour as the "artist of the intifada." The footage depicted her working in a studio adorned with Palestinian symbols and a banner reading "Artists Against Apartheid." However, records of Mansour's public statements and artwork paint a disturbing picture of consistent support for violence against Israelis spanning decades.

Following the October 7 massacres, Mansour published a militant drawing depicting an armed Palestinian fighter. Over the years, he frequently glorified founders of Hamas, such as Ahmed Yassin and Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi, referring to them as "great heroes." Furthermore, his social media activity included sharing content that questioned the authenticity of Anne Frank's diary and praising Adolf Hitler as a technically skilled artist.

Scrutiny Surrounding New York Figures

The revelations compound existing controversies surrounding Duwaji, who reportedly engaged with social media content justifying the October 7 attacks and denying documented atrocities. Critics have also pointed to her hosting events at official mayoral venues with controversial activists, raising serious questions about political associations and public accountability in New York.