New York First Lady Rama Duwaji has been vocal about her pro-Palestine stance [Getty]
The reigning Miss Israel launched a social media rant after claiming she was “shunned” during an encounter with Rama Duwaji at a coffee shop in Brooklyn over the weekend, accusing the New York first lady of hostility after allegedly learning she was Israeli.
In a series of posts online, the beauty pageant titleholder complained that Duwaji, the wife of New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, initially appeared willing to take a photograph before allegedly distancing herself once her nationality became known.
Miss Israel went on to accuse Duwaji of spreading “antisemitism” and “anti-Israel propaganda”, with pro-Israel accounts amplifying the claims as supposed evidence of hostility towards Israelis abroad.
Many, however, dismissed the accusations as an attempt to recast political opposition to Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza as discrimination, noting the incident comes amid growing international outrage over Israeli war crimes against Palestinians.
For many activists, acts of social or cultural distancing from Israeli representatives are part of a broader protest movement rather than expressions of religious or ethnic prejudice.
The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement has called for boycotts against Israel’s participation in international competitions like Miss Universe due to the genocide, arguing that cultural platforms should not be used to normalise or whitewash state violence.
Mamdani himself has been a prominent advocate for Palestinian rights in the United States, backing calls for a ceasefire and an end to US military support for Israel.
While his wife has not publicly commented on the encounter, supporters online argue that individuals have the right to disengage from representatives of a state accused of grave human rights violations.
The episode underscores the increasingly fraught nature of public interactions involving Israeli figures and nationals abroad, as grassroots campaigns continue to push for accountability and isolation of Israel on the global stage.
As Israel faces mounting criticism over its conduct in Gaza, cultural and social spaces have become key arenas for political expression, with activists insisting that silence or neutrality is no longer tenable.
