Will the Big Apple Fall? Israel-Hating Candidate on Track for New York City Mayor

New York City has opened its election campaign, ahead of voting for the identity of the new mayor. While two pro-Israel candidates are fighting among themselves, an extremist and unknown candidate named Zohran Mamdani is rising in the polls.

A new Politico poll shows Mamdani as the second most popular candidate with 31% support versus 35% for Andrew Cuomo – a figure indicating a significant rise in his standing.

Mamdani defines himself as a "democratic-socialist" with economic and social positions symbolizing a radical change from the city's current conduct. Mamdani wants to ban police from entering certain areas of the city, freeze apartment rental prices (though it's unclear how), and turn New York into a sanctuary city for illegal immigrants.

Regarding Israel, Mamdani has provided a series of statements that have sparked many storms with the Jewish community.

Mamdani expressed support for the boycott movement (BDS), and defined Israel's actions in Gaza as genocide. During an interview, he was asked if he would recognize Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people – and he replied that he supports the existence of "a state with equal rights for all," but refrained from defining it as a "Jewish nation-state."

This response received sharp criticism from associates, including former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg, Jewish reformers, and public figures, who saw this as an antisemitic sign.