One of Brooklyn’s resident socialist firebrands just found a new target for her outrage machine: fellow Muslims who dare to support Israel.
Democratic socialist Councilwoman Shahana Hanif triggered backlash Tuesday after publicly declaring that Muslim organizers behind a pro-Israel protest against mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani belong in “Jahannam” — the Islamic term for hell.
Because apparently in New York’s progressive political circus, disagreeing with the activist class isn’t enough anymore. Now it earns eternal damnation.
Hanif, a Brooklyn lawmaker with a long track record of anti-Israel rhetoric, erupted on X after activists organized a “Protest Zohran Mamdani” demonstration near Gracie Mansion. The rally, backed by the group EndJewHatred, featured Muslim speakers calling out what they described as rising Islamist extremism and anti-Jewish hostility inside activist circles aligned with Mamdani.
One of the organizers in Hanif’s crosshairs was Anila Ali, president of the American Muslim & Multifaith Women’s Empowerment Council. Ali didn’t exactly mince words earlier in the day when speaking about Mamdani’s movement. “It’s not just that Mamdani criticizes Israel and policy — a lot of Jewish people criticize Israel’s policies,” Ali said. “It’s that he targets the Jewish people and the one Jewish state in the world.”
She also accused Mamdani-aligned activists of hijacking Islam for political purposes and drowning out moderate Muslim voices in America. “We are going to stand up as Muslims against you, Mamdani,” Ali declared. “And we want America to hear this.”
That message clearly struck a nerve. Rather than debate the criticism, Hanif reposted promotional material for the protest and added her own scorched-earth commentary wishing the Muslim organizers condemnation “to Jahannam.” The remark immediately ignited outrage online, with critics accusing the councilwoman of weaponizing religion against ideological opponents.
The episode also exposed a widening split among Muslim Americans over the Israel-Hamas conflict, antisemitism, and the direction of left-wing activism in cities like New York. Moderate Muslim groups increasingly say they’re being shoved aside by louder activist factions that treat any support for Israel — or even coexistence — as betrayal.
