A pro-Israel group founded by tarnished ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo has launched a TV ad slamming young protesters for backing Hamas.
“Do they really know who they’re protesting for? Hamas prosecutes gays and subjugates women while teaching kids to hate and kill,” said the narrator of the ad paid for by the group “Never Again, NOW!”
“On October 7th, Hamas slaughtered 1,200 Jews, Latinos, Asians, and Americans, and took hundreds hostage, raped and murdered women. Beheadings, even burned infants,” the 60-second spot continues.
A source close to the group, of which Cuomo is the chairman, said the “significant ad buy” will run after the Fourth of July.
The ad is yet another sign that Cuomo, who resigned in disgrace in 2021 amid sexual misconduct accusations that he denies, is attempting to climb back to relevance, political sources said.
Cuomo is said to be eyeing a run for New York City mayor next year and has been attempting to appeal to Jewish voters and pro-Israel Democrats, the sources said.
“We’re at a crucial moment in history where antisemitism is spreading unchecked and support for Israel in this country is waning. There are protesters in the streets that are not merely Pro-Palestinian — but embrace Hamas — a brutal terrorist organization,” Cuomo said in a statement Tuesday.
“We must not stand silent and we must make sure lies and deception are countered with the truth,” he said.
“This ad does two things: One, tells the truth about Hamas and what happened on October 7th. Two: It reminds people that Israel is the victim. The ad is intense because what happened was intensely brutal,” Cuomo added. “We need to educate people on what the stakes truly are and why history cannot be repeated.”
The clip shows footage of Hamas taking hostages and compares the terror group’s actions to those of Nazis during the Holocaust.
It claims Hamas has run the Gaza Strip for 15 years and that the terror group has siphoned relief money meant for Palestinians to build underground tunnels and promote attacks against the Jewish state.
“It’s a genocidal terrorist organization dedicated to killing all Jews and more. If you stand with Hamas, you stand with terror,” the narrator says.
During his tenure, Cuomo issue an executive order barring New York state government from doing business with entities that support the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement against Israel.
His successor, Gov. Kathy Hochul, continued the pro-Israel order.
