A sharp Democratic Party rift has broken out over the Israel-Gaza war after the Young Democrats of Albany County released a statement accusing Israel of carrying out genocide in Gaza.
New York State Democratic Party Chairman Jay Jacobs, along with several Capital District Democrats, pushed back forcefully, condemning the Albany youth group’s position as a deeply misguided attack on Israel.
The local Young Democrats chapter set off the intraparty backlash with a Sept. 3 statement issued by its executive board.
In the statement, the board declared that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Israeli government had committed “genocide in Gaza” and serious violations of international law against Palestinians.
The statement did not address Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 surprise assault on Israel, an attack that killed roughly 1,200 people, including more than 800 civilians and many young concertgoers at a music festival.
Taken together, the Albany Young Democrats’ message placed the group firmly on the Palestinian side of the debate over the Israel-Hamas war.
The group said it wanted to leave no doubt about its stance, adding that it stood with young Democrats nationwide who are advocating for the Palestinian people.
Its statement also said young Democrats oppose what they described as genocide in Gaza, the occupation of the West Bank and the Israeli government’s denial of equal civil and political rights in territories controlled by its military.
The Young Democrats further argued that the United States should end what they called a “blank check” of billions of dollars in military assistance to Israel.
The language reflects a broader wave of criticism of Israel from the party’s left flank, a trend associated with figures such as New York City democratic socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani, congressional candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier and members of the House group known as “The Squad,” including Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar.
Gary Greenberg, a longtime Albany County Democratic Committee member who served for 25 years, accused the Young Democrats of aligning with Hamas and fueling antisemitism.
“They’re basically supporting the policies of Hamas. That’s who the Palestinians are,” Greenberg told The Post on Wednesday, arguing that the group was siding with Palestinians who crossed into Israel during the Oct. 7, 2023 attack.
“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.
