New York governor apologises after implying Israel has justification to destroy Gaza

WASHINGTON – New York Governor Kathy Hochul on Feb 16 apologised for remarks she made at a Jewish philanthropy event in New York City that went viral on social media and which suggested Israel had justification to destroy Gaza following the Oct 7 Hamas attack.

“If Canada some day ever attacked Buffalo, I’m sorry, my friends, there would be no Canada the next day,” Ms Hochul said in a portion of her speech on Feb 15 at an event for the United Jewish Appeal-Federation of New York.

“That is a natural reaction. You have a right to defend yourself and to make sure that it never happens again. And that is Israel’s right.”

On Feb 16, in a statement cited by The New York Times, she said she regretted her “inappropriate analogy” and apologised for her “poor choice of words”.

“While I have been clear in my support of Israel’s right to self-defence, 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,” she said in the statement.

Israel launched its offensive in Hamas-governed Gaza following the Palestinian militant group’s Oct 7 attack on Israel that killed 1,200, according to Israeli tallies. Israel’s subsequent military action and strikes have flattened much of the densely populated enclave and displaced nearly all of its population.

The humanitarian crisis has left Gaza’s population of more than two million people on the brink of starvation. Nearly 29,000 have died in Israel’s offensive, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

The United Nations has called for a humanitarian ceasefire, which the United States has opposed, saying it would let Hamas regroup.

American society has also had to deal with the impact of the war. Rights advocates have noted a rise in anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and anti-Arab bias in the US since the start of the war. REUTERS