Zohran Mamdani’s "Nakba" Video Sparks Backlash Over Zionist Artist's Poster

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has sparked controversy following the release of a video commemorating the "Nakba." The video, intended to highlight a Palestinian narrative, backfired when viewers noticed it featured a poster created by a Zionist Jewish artist who fled the Nazis.

The Palestinian Narrative and the Video

The video centers on the story of 88-year-old Inae Bushnak, who claims she fled Jerusalem during the 1948 war. During the footage, an old travel poster with the words "Visit Palestine" is displayed for several seconds, alongside an illustration of the Old City of Jerusalem and an olive tree.

However, subsequent scrutiny revealed that the family of Bushnak is not originally native to the region; her grandparents had migrated from Bosnia to Syria before eventually moving to Jerusalem.

The Blunder: A Zionist Artist's Signature

The major embarrassment for the Mayor's office came from the origins of the featured poster. The artwork was created in the 1930s during the British Mandate, a period when "Palestine" was the official geographic name of the land.

The creator of the poster was Franz Kraus, an Austrian-Jewish artist who fled Europe during the Nazi regime and immigrated to the Land of Israel. Kraus signed the artwork in Hebrew, a signature that remains clearly visible in the video published by the Mayor's office.

Backlash and Response

Critics quickly pointed out the irony and contradiction of using a piece by a Zionist Jewish artist to promote a "Nakba" narrative, calling the oversight deeply embarrassing for the municipality.

In response to criticism from Jewish organizations pointing out that the video was one-sided and ignored historical context, Mayor Mamdani later stated:

He added that his role is to be "a mayor for everyone, both for those who voted for him and those who did not."