NYC Health Department Employee Faces Scrutiny Over Past Social Media Posts
A longtime New York City Health Department employee is under fire following the surfacing of past social media posts containing anti-Israel rhetoric and inflammatory statements. The posts, which reportedly called for the elimination of Israelis, have sparked outrage and calls for investigations into the department’s vetting processes.
Achmat Akkad, a community coordinator with the Health Department since 2017, allegedly made the posts on X, formerly known as Twitter. According to screenshots shared by the Jewish watchdog group Canary Mission, Akkad wrote approximately a year ago that “1 Israeli left in this world would be one too many!”
In a separate post from November 10, 2021, Akkad reportedly stated, “Jews that don’t support apartheid are safe. Zionists aren’t!” The posts have since been deleted, and Akkad’s X account has been suspended, making independent verification difficult.
The controversy surrounding Akkad’s social media activity comes at a time of heightened scrutiny of the Health Department under Mayor Zohran Mamdani. The department has already faced criticism for a “global oppression” working group that allegedly accused Israel of genocide, prompting calls for city and federal investigations.
According to reports, Akkad made additional inflammatory statements in archived posts, including a claim that “Israel exists by sacrificing the blood of Black and brown people as an offering to white supremacy.” He also reportedly wrote that Zionists “are behind the attacks, far right parties being elected across the world, attacks on free speech, the wars in MENE, the dehumanization of Muslims, and increase in police power…”
When reached by the New York Post, Akkad confirmed his employment with the Health Department and acknowledged operating the X account but declined to offer further comment.
Akkad, who reportedly earns around $65,000 annually, previously identified himself on social media as the “US Ambassador to Harlem.” He was initially hired by the city government in 2015 as a community associate with the Human Resources Administration/Department of Social Services under then-Mayor Bill de Blasio.
Canary Mission released a statement questioning the city’s hiring practices, stating, “If this is who gets elevated into city government, what does that say about the leadership elevating him? New Yorkers should be outraged.”
As of Tuesday, February 16, 2026, Mayor Mamdani’s office and the Health Department had not responded to requests for comment regarding the situation.
