June 6, 2025, New York, NY – In Wednesday night’s NYC mayoral debate, candidate Zohran Mamdani made clear that he does not recognize Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state. When asked directly, Mamdani dodged, equivocated, and ultimately refused to acknowledge that Israel — the world’s only Jewish nation — has a right to maintain its identity. This is not a nuanced foreign policy position. It is a blatant rejection of Jewish self-determination and a red flag for anyone concerned about rising antisemitism.
Mamdani’s refusal to commit to visiting Israel, combined with his inflammatory rhetoric about antisemitism being “weaponized,” is deeply offensive to Jewish New Yorkers. At a time when Jewish communities are facing harassment, violence, and open hate — from Boulder to D.C. to Brooklyn — it is appalling that a mayoral hopeful would choose ideological purity over moral clarity. Denying Israel’s legitimacy is denying the Jewish people their history, security, and dignity.
Let us be crystal clear: Any candidate for mayor of New York City — home to the largest Jewish population in America — who cannot affirm Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state is unfit for leadership. The Jewish community deserves better. New Yorkers deserve better.
