Aber Kawas, a Palestinian activist and Democratic Socialist campaigning for New York State Senate District 12 in Queens, is facing significant scrutiny over past comments regarding the September 11th attacks and an allegation of her wearing a Hamas-affiliated headband. Kawas, who has received the endorsement of NYC DSA and is backed by Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, aims to represent a district encompassing Astoria, Long Island City, Sunnyside, Woodside, and Maspeth. Her campaign platform prioritizes affordability, public transit, immigrant protection, and public safety.
Controversy has arisen from a resurfaced 2017 video where Kawas discussed the 9/11 attacks. In the clip, she stated that 9/11 was a "manifestation" of a "long trajectory" of "capitalism, racism, white supremacy, and Islamophobia" used to "colonize lands" and "take resources from other people." She further remarked, "The idea that we have to apologize for a terror attack that a couple people did and then there is no apologies or reparations for genocides and for slavery, et cetera, is something that I kind of find reprehensible," as reported by various media outlets.
Allegations have also surfaced, notably in a tweet by Eyal Yakoby, claiming Kawas has worn a "Hamas headband." Social media posts and some news sources have circulated images and videos alleging her presence at protests where individuals wore headbands described as "Hamas-branded" or bearing symbols associated with the group. While some headbands feature the Shahada, an Islamic declaration of faith, which is also utilized by Hamas, the specific context of Kawas's alleged wearing of such an item has drawn criticism.
Kawas's bid for the State Senate seat follows her initial campaign for an Assembly seat, a pivot made after State Senator Michael Gianaris announced his retirement. If elected, she would become the first Palestinian-American to serve in the state legislature. Her political trajectory has been closely associated with Zohran Mamdani, with whom she collaborated on the "Not On Our Dime" campaign, an initiative focused on addressing funding for Israeli settler organizations. Her opponent in the race is Assemblymember Steven Raga.
