Filed under: When pandering goes horribly wrong.

(NYDN) — Mayor Bloomberg practiced his version of verbal jujitsu Wednesday, mangling a greeting to Muslim leaders at a Ramadan gathering with “shalom alaikum.”

Hizzoner was shooting for “salaam alaikum” — the traditional Arabic “peace to you” greeting.

“He just got a little confused,” one witness said.

Imam Omar Abunamous of the Islamic Cultural Center of New York said it was an understandable mistake for the Jewish mayor.

“Well, it’s common to both religions,” Abunamous said. “They are the same thing. The same idea.”