Lawmakers criticize Mamdani's refusal to accept the IHRA definition
In a recent turn of events, New York City mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani finds himself at the centre of a controversy, following his controversial comments and stance on antisemitism and the Israel boycott movement.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul, who recently endorsed Mamdani, has urged him to make amends with the city's Jewish community. This comes after a Quinnipiac University poll revealed that three-quarters of likely Jewish voters hold unfavourable views of Mamdani.
The controversy began when Mamdani made his comments in a recent Bloomberg News interview, where he expressed support for the movement to boycott Israel and failed to condemn the phrase 'globalize the intifada,' which has been denounced as hate speech by Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) and Mike Lawler (R-NY).
Gottheimer and Lawler are the lead sponsors of the Antisemitism Awareness Act, a bill aiming to enshrine the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism into law. The act also aims to ensure that the US Department of Education has a clear, consistent standard to combat antisemitism.
Mamdani, in response, has stated that he will stop using the IHRA's working definition of antisemitism. This decision has been met with criticism, with Gottheimer and Lawler describing it as 'shameful, dangerous, and completely disgusting.'
In her endorsement, Hochul discussed with Mamdani the need to combat the rise of antisemitism urgently and unequivocally. Despite the controversy, Hochul has stated that she has been glad to see Mamdani meet with Jewish leaders across the city, listening and addressing their concerns directly.
Incumbent Mayor Eric Adams leads among Jewish voters with 42%, double Mamdani's 21%. Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is third with 20% of the Jewish vote.
Despite the controversies, Mamdani currently holds a double-digit lead in surveys for the New York City mayoral race. He is supported by the New York State governor and has a large and diverse donor base.
The controversy surrounding Mamdani's stance on antisemitism and the Israel boycott movement continues to unfold, with many in the Jewish community calling for a clearer stance against hate speech and antisemitism.
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