The democratic selection of Zohran Mamdani as their mayoral candidate by Democrats of America’s city with the most significant Jewish population has raised concerns among some quarters of New York’s Jewish community. This situation hints towards a shift in the party’s key voting sections’ priorities. A Democratic socialist aged 33, Mamdani’s performance stood out against former Governor Andrew Cuomo, signifying that holding a contrary position to Israel no longer acts as a roadblock in a Democratic primary.
The member of the state Assembly has opted against endorsing Israel’s right to existence as a Jewish state and shows support for an organized campaign aiming to mount financial stress on Israel through boycotts and other strategies. However, in the city with the highest Jewish population outside Israel, he flourished and commanded the support of many Jewish voters. Mamdani’s victory tells the story of the ideological realignment occurring among a large number of American Jews in the wake of the Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, which triggered Israeli incursion into Gaza.
Numerous Democratic voters, including those from the Jewish community, have become increasingly disenchanted by Israel’s manner of handling the war and harbor deep apprehensions towards Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. This sentiment is particularly potent among younger, more progressive voters, a large fraction of whom have discarded the once widely-held belief that a critical perspective of Israel equates to being antisemitic inherently.
Mamdani’s electoral success has sparked fresh concerns about safety and the dwindling influence of Jewish voters in a city that has recently experienced a rise in anti-Jewish hate crime. In the previous year, more than half of the hate crimes in the city were directed towards Jews. This sentiment is echoed by veteran New York Democratic political strategist Hank Sheinkopf, who foresees a prompt departure of religious Jews from the city and a consequent decrease in the long-standing Jewish influence that may have a ripple effect elsewhere.
Israel emerged as a pivotal campaign issue for Mamdani’s leading Democratic opponent, Andrew Cuomo. The former governor positioned antisemitism and support for Israel as the campaign’s central issue. Supporters of Mamdani, in response, continually charged Cuomo with attempting to exploit the issue for political gain. Many drew parallels with how ex-Republican President Donald Trump portrayed criticism of Israel’s actions as antisemitic, alleging Jewish Democrats of ‘hating’ Israel and their own religion.
Mamdani’s victory was perceived by some supporters as the electorate’s rejection of one of Cuomo’s key arguments that a rising socialist with pro-Palestinian views would pose a threat to New York’s Jewish community. Many voters’ concerns centered on issues like city affordability, while others were straightforwardly opposed to Cuomo, who resigned in the midst of sexual harassment allegations.
Aiyana Leong Knauer, a Jewish voter from Brooklyn supporting Mamdani, interpreted the voting trends as a statement from New Yorkers, a significant fraction of whom are Jewish, that affordable city living is a more critical concern than fostering divisions. Mamdani, on his part, has consistently promised to combat antisemitism, a pledge he reiterated during a television show appearance where he fielded questions on his stance.
Present on the show with him was city comptroller and fellow candidate, Brad Lander, the city’s highest-ranking Jewish official, who had jointly endorsed him. Mamdani also voiced his intention to enhance funding for anti-hate crime initiatives by a substantial 800%. However, numerous remarks from him have incited the ire of Jewish groups and officials, predominantly his refusal to retract the phrase ‘globalize the intifada’, which many interpreted as advocating violence against Israeli civilians during recent protests.
In an interview, Mamdani elucidated that the phrase ‘globalize the intifada’ encapsulates ‘a desperate desire for equality and defending Palestinian human rights’. Moreover, Mamdani also extends his support to the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement. This movement seeks to put pressure on governments, educational institutions, and other bodies to boycott Israeli products, divest from firms supporting Israel, and impose sanctions.
The Anti-Defamation League, however, describes the movement as antisemitic, viewing it as a component of a wider campaign aimed to ‘delegitimize and isolate the State of Israel’. Mamdani has expressed that if he is elected as mayor, he won’t hesitate to arrest Netanyahu, should the Israeli leader attempt to enter the city. It remains to be seen how these policy stances will impact both Mamdani’s tenure and the demographics that helped bring him to power.
The post Unanticipated Victory: Zohran Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist, Wins New York Mayoral Candidacy appeared first on Real News Now.
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