A dispute over the Israel-Gaza war has exposed sharp divisions within Democratic circles after the Young Democrats of Albany County released a statement accusing Israel of committing genocide in Gaza.
New York State Democratic Party Chairman Jay Jacobs, along with other Capital District Democrats, denounced the Albany Young Democrats’ position, calling it a misguided and inflammatory accusation.
The local Democratic affiliate sparked the internal party clash with a Sept. 3 statement issued by its executive board.
“Let us make this crystal clear: Benjamin Netanyahu’s Israeli government has committed a genocide in Gaza and gross violations of international law against the Palestinian people,” the statement said.
The statement did not reference Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel, which launched the war and killed roughly 1,200 people, including more than 800 civilians and many attendees of a music festival.
Overall, the Albany Young Democrats’ statement aligned the group with Palestinian causes in the conflict rather than Israel’s position.
“We recognize the importance of making our position clear, and stand firmly in solidarity with young Democrats across America in fighting for the Palestinian people,” the organization said.
“Young Democrats oppose the genocide in Gaza, the occupation of the West Bank and the Israeli government’s denial of civil and political rights on an equal basis in the territories its military occupies.”
The group also argued that what it described as a “blank check” involving billions of dollars in U.S. military assistance to Israel must end.
Its declaration reflects a broader rise in anti-Israel sentiment among some Democrats, including New York City democratic socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani, congressional candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier, and House members known as “The Squad,” including Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar.
But Gary Greenberg, who served on the Albany County Democratic Committee for 25 years, accused the Young Democrats of siding with Hamas and fomenting Jew hatred.
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“They’re basically supporting the policies of Hamas. That’s who the Palestinians are,” Greenberg fumed to The Post Wednesday. “They’re basically siding with the Palestinians who crossed the border and invaded Israel [on Oct. 7, 2023.
“It’s a vile rant against the Jewish community. It’s a Jew hatred statement. The head of the Albany County Democrats Jake Crawford and County Executive Dan McCoy must rescind this vile rant against the Jewish community.”
State party Chairman Jacobs criticized the statement as a smear and false accusation against Israel, and insisted the statement is an “outlier” within the party committee.
Jacobs, who is Jewish and the descendant of Holocaust survivors, said Israel is engaged in a war following Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack against the Jewish state.
“I disagree with their categorization. Genocide it is not,” Jacobs told The Post. “In war, reprehensible things happen. Wars are not neat things without unintended consequences.”
The Young Democrats’ statement, Jacobs said, “does not take into account the reality, the existential threat to Israel.”
“Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack was an existential threat. Hostages were taken,” Jacobs said.
He said there is legitimate criticism of the actions of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, such as allowing Jewish settlers in the West Bank.
But Israel is not intentionally trying to wipe out the civilian population of Gaza, Jacobs.
“Look up the definition of genocide,” he said.
The New York State Young Democrats, which does not mention the Israel-Gaza conflict in its platform, had no immediate comment.