New York City Councilwoman Inna Vernikov (R-NYC 48) withdrew from the City Council Women's Caucus on Friday for what she called its refusal to condemn Hamas's atrocities. "I left the Women's Caucus because I refuse to be part of a caucus that can not come together to condemn the rape, murder, captivity of Jewish women without adding 'context,'" Vernikov, who serves as the Minority Whip of the City Council and represents the Brooklyn neighborhoods of Brighton Beach, West Brighton Beach, Manhattan Beach, Gravesend, and parts of Midwood and Sheepshead Bay, stated. She recounted: "We watched footage of these young 20-year-old Jewish girls, released from Hamas captivity, and we watched this image of them being absolutely terrified while they're surrounded by Jihadis covered in masks and weapons drawn. And the Women's Caucus of the New York City Council, made up of 30 plus women, can not come out and make a simple statement condemning the terrorists and supporting these women without adding context? "How can I condemn and call out all of these women's organizations who have stayed completely silent since October 7th but continue sitting in a body that's supposed to stand up for women's rights, that's supposed to stand against the abuse, rape, and captivity of women, but can not do that when it comes to Jewish women?" Vernikov wondered. She added: "This is a Women's Caucus that obviously can not agree on what a woman is because one of the first items on its agenda was to amend the bylaws to include those who identify as a woman. "I will not remain in a body that refuses to acknowledge objective truths and that will only stand up for women when it's politically expedient for them," she declared.
