New York’s likely next mayor is fervent anti-Zionist

The 33-year-old Ugandan born Zohran Mamdani, who went to school in Cape Town, clinched the Democratic Party’s nomination for New York City mayoral elections in a primary vote. He’s now widely tipped to win the mayorship in November.

He comfortably beat former New York State governor, Andrew Cuomo, who may still run as an independent, as might the unpopular incumbent Mayor Eric Adams. Mamdani, the son of academic Mahmood Mamdani and filmmaker Mira Nair, is unashamedly an anti-Zionist. Liberal, woke Jews have flocked to support him, but mainstream Jewry is sounding the antisemitism alarm.

Over the weekend, Mamdani again refused to condemn the slogan “globalise the intifada”, saying that he wouldn’t police free speech, as he says United States President Donald Trump seeks to do.

Larry Haas, senior fellow at the American Foreign Policy Council said, “Mamdani has declined to support Israel’s right to exist, and supports boycotts and other measures against Israel. There’s a very thin line between anti-Zionism and antisemitism and since I can’t find any evidence that he’s spoken out against human rights violations by Hamas in Gaza; by the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank; by China; by Russia; by Iran; by Venezuela, he seems to be crossing the line when it comes to antisemitism because he’s holding the world’s only Jewish state to a singular standard.

“And, by refusing the condemn such language as ‘globalise the intifada’, essentially a call for violence against Jews all around the world, he is providing high-profile legitimacy to anti-Jewish hatred and, in turn, anti-Jewish violence. So, Jews have every reason for concern.”

Milton Shain, emeritus professor of Historical Studies at the University of Cape Town and an expert on antisemitism said, “Only a few years ago, it would have been inconceivable to have an avowed socialist and a pro-Palestinian candidate take poll position in the race to be New York City mayor. By all accounts, Mamdani ran a brilliant campaign, aided by an astute social media strategy and youthful supporters – among whom there were many college-educated Jews – knocking on doors.”

Said Haas, “Democrats are nowhere near as sympathetic to, or understanding of, Israel or Jews as they should be. In fact, the most activist wing of their party dabbles in both anti-Zionism and antisemitism. It’s a serious problem, politically and morally.”

What’s Mamdani’s attractiveness for the electorate? Former US diplomat and writer J Brooks Spector said, “Mamdani comes from the Democratic Socialist wing of Democratic politics, and has been running on a campaign platform that speaks to ‘the affordable city’, a nod to the high cost of living and astronomical cost of housing in the country’s largest metropolis. His campaign appealed to many voters, with plans for city-run supermarkets, a free bus network, and free pre-schools.” He’s unclear on how this would all be funded. “He’s proposing higher taxes on the wealthy and corporations, but has failed to take into consideration that his tax measures must gain the buy-in of New York State’s government, and this is likely to be a gruelling fight.

“By and large, the Jewish establishment is shocked,” said Shain. “Is this the Democratic Party that they have supported for generations? Many Jews are especially concerned about Mamdani’s views on Israel and his understanding of the Zionist idea. It would appear that while he accepts Israel as a reality, he may not accept it as a Jewish state.”

“More problematic to some has been his provocative statements on the Israel/Gaza fighting, and his strong support for Palestinians,” Spector said. “This may come to alienate him from the city’s large section of voters who are Jewish” despite unappealing alternative candidates.

“An endorsement by the controversial Reverend Al Sharpton may – or may not – also be problematic for Mamdani once the actual election comes round, if Sharpton’s appearances and statements reflect harshly on Jewish voters. Ultimately, his success in the election will probably depend on how adroitly he can thread his disparate support base without antagonising other groups, and how well he can demonstrate how his ideas can become reality without harming the city’s economy. Mamdani will learn, soon enough, the old political adage that campaigning is like reciting poetry, while governing is like reading the tax code.”

John Stremlau, honorary professor of International Relations at the University of the Witwatersrand, said, “Mamdani would share the views of liberal Jews who oppose the brutal policies of Benjamin Netanyahu towards the Palestinians. I would expect Jewish New Yorkers to be divided in their opinions of him, depending on where they stand on Israel. My reading of his background is that he is anti-Zionist, but not antisemitic. Mamdani is the counterpoint to Donald Trump, tapping into the real concerns of most New Yorkers.”

The rise of Mamdani has significance beyond New York City politics. Michael Walsh, visiting scholar at the Center for Middle Eastern Studies, University of California, Berkeley said, “For the past couple of years, there has been considerable attention paid to the fact that Democrats and Republicans have very different interpretations of reality. However, there are sharp differences in interpretations within both parties as well. This was manifest earlier this week in the reaction to the primary win of Mamdani and the public confrontation between Senator Thom Tillis and President Donald Trump.

“These events shouldn’t be viewed in isolation. They demonstrate that neither political party has tents that are big enough for their own political elites anymore. They are starting to burst at the seams. In a two-party system, that risks dissatisfaction and disenfranchisement across the broader electorate. That, in turn, creates the opportunity for candidates to run as independents, hoping to seize on the extreme polarisation. To compound matters, it can lead to monumental defections across party lines.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if lots of Jewish Democrats who didn’t vote in the Democratic primary decide to vote in the general election in the hope of defeating Mamdani,” Haas said.

Expect a concerted effort to thwart an almost certain Mamdani win.