(Politico) Mayoral candidate Andrew Yang promised Wednesday to meet with Palestinian American leaders and said he may have “confused” the intentions of certain groups in his recent essay likening the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement to “fascist boycotts of Jewish businesses.”
In an op-ed in the Forward, Yang said his administration would push back against the BDS movement — which opposes Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories — on the grounds that it “singles out Israel for unfair economic punishment.” He also said the movement is “rooted in antisemitic thought and history” and linked it to “fascist boycotts of Jewish businesses,” adding that it hurts the city’s economy.
Yang has been heckled for his stance on the campaign trail and, at a mayoral forum hosted by the Muslim Democratic Club of New York Wednesday night, he was asked to explain his comments and whether he would apologize or retract them.
