NYC Mayor Mamdani's Wife Under Fire for Co-Hosting Luxury Pro-Palestine Retreat in Corsica That Casts Virgin Mary as Palestinian Figure

In a recent i24NEWS English report, the spotlight falls on Rama Duwaji, the 29-year-old wife of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who is under fire for co-hosting a luxury pro-Palestine spiritual retreat in Corsica, France. The sold-out "Mary in the Quran" retreat, priced between $3,100 and $5,260 per person, has drawn sharp criticism for framing the Virgin Mary as a "Palestinian woman giving birth under occupation" while raising concerns over Duwaji's past social media activity glorifying Hamas.

NYC Mayor Mamdani's Wife Under Fire for Co-Hosting Luxury Pro-Palestine Retreat in Corsica That Casts Virgin Mary as Palestinian Figure

Jerusalem, Israel – July 12, 2026 — The controversy surrounding New York City's first family has intensified as Rama Duwaji, wife of Mayor Zohran Mamdani, co-hosts a sold-out Islamic women's spiritual retreat on the French island of Corsica that has drawn condemnation from pro-Israel advocacy groups and Jewish community leaders.

The Retreat Frames Mary as Palestinian Under Occupation

The "Mary in the Quran" program runs from July 9 to July 14 and sells out at prices ranging from $3,100 to $5,260 for private casitas at the Corsican venue run by The Women Sanctuary, a group operated by Parisian designer Rym Nur.

Every prayer, lecture, and meal includes explicit mentions of "our sisters in Palestine," while the central narrative recasts the Virgin Mary as a Palestinian woman giving birth under occupation. The Women Sanctuary's website describes Mary as "the most honored woman in the Qur'an — mentioned 34 times" and frames her story as one of "unwavering faith, sacred retreat, and total devotion to Allah."

Participants who attended the prior year's edition received handmade keffiyehs from Palestinian designer Sarah Musa, with proceeds directed to the Palestine Red Crescent Society — an organization the Israel Defense Forces has criticized for alleged Hamas ties — and the Palestine Children's Relief Fund, which NGO Monitor, a Jerusalem-based research group, has accused of links to terrorist organizations.

Mamdani Administration Faces Scrutiny in NYC Politics

Zohran Mamdani, who took office on January 1, 2026, as New York City's first Muslim mayor sworn in using a Quran, now oversees an administration whose family members draw sharp attention for overseas political activities. Duwaji skipped America's 250th July 4 anniversary celebrations to attend a separate $3,400 "Plants of the Quran" retreat in Mallorca, Spain, days before flying to Corsica.

Manhattan GOP chairwomen publicly criticized Duwaji for "skipping America's 250th for anti-American ideology," while the mayor's office has not issued statements linking these retreats to city policy. Jewish community organizations in Manhattan and Brooklyn are monitoring the optics for potential effects on municipal contracts and public events involving Israel.

Israel Advocacy Groups Document Past Social Media Activity

Rama Duwaji issued a public apology in April 2026 for earlier social media posts that included content glorifying Hamas and anti-Israel illustrations she created. Her Tumblr account from September 2017 featured posts praising Palestinian militant Leila Khaled, prompting renewed examination by pro-Israel monitors after the Corsica retreat announcement.

The Washington Free Beacon previously reported that Duwaji's Tumblr included anti-Israel content alongside support for Palestinian militancy. NGO Monitor reports have flagged both the Palestine Red Crescent Society and Palestine Children's Relief Fund, named as beneficiaries of keffiyeh sales at the prior retreat, for documented connections to designated terrorist organizations according to Israeli security assessments.

University of Chicago history professor Rachel Fulton Brown, author of "Mary and the Art of Prayer," described the politicization of Mary in this manner as "historically complicated," stating that "trying to pretend that now is 2,000 years ago is not helpful to anyone" and does not aid the situation in Gaza.

Corsica's Pro-Israel History Creates Location Irony

Corsica remains the only French department that did not deport Jews during the Nazi occupation, earning the local designation "island of the just" among Jewish historians. Corsican nationalist leader Nicolas Battini of Mossa Palatina, whose party is allied with France's right-wing National Movement, stated that islanders maintain a "very pro-Israel" stance and hold a "conflicted" relationship with political Islam.

"Corsica is the only French department during the occupation during the Second World War that did not deport any Jews, which is why it was named 'the island of the just,'" Battini told the New York Post. Despite Duwaji's anti-Israel views, Battini noted that "she is free to participate in the events that she pleases" on the island, adding that "her presence in Corsica raises neither approbation nor enthusiasm."

The Women Sanctuary's selection of Corsica for the retreat — despite the island's documented pro-Israel attitudes and Jewish protection history — highlights the contrast between the event's political messaging and its host location.

Implications for NYC-Israel Relations and the Jewish Community

The combination of Duwaji's past social media activity celebrating Hamas, the retreat's explicit political messaging framing Mary as a Palestinian figure under occupation, and the involvement of organizations flagged by NGO Monitor raises direct questions for New York City's diplomatic and cultural ties with Israel.

Jewish federations and advocacy groups in Manhattan and Queens have begun tracking whether city resources or mayoral scheduling will accommodate events that echo the retreat's themes. Mayor Mamdani has drawn national attention for his Democratic socialist platform and positions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict since taking office.

Analysts note that Mamdani's administration must navigate these family-linked controversies while managing relations with Israel's consulate in New York and the large Jewish population that constitutes a key voting bloc in boroughs such as Brooklyn and Staten Island. The Corsica event's location on an island historically protective of Jews during World War II further amplifies the disconnect for Israeli officials and local Jewish leaders monitoring the mayor's household activities.

As the retreat continues through July 14, pro-Israel organizations in New York and Jerusalem are watching closely for any official response from the Mamdani administration regarding the first lady's participation and the political messaging embedded in the event.

By Hannah Berg, Staff Writer