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Why Indian-origin Zohran Mamdani's big New York win has led to a ‘chill’ in Israel
In Israel, Mamdani's win in New York stirs alarm over shifting US attitudes
Israeli government officials expressed their outrage even more sharply, labelling Mamdani, who is Muslim, an “Israel-hating antisemite”, similar to who Trump called him a “Jew hater” on election day.
What Mamdani has said on Israel
Mamdani, 34, a leftist who flaunts his “Democratic Socialist” views, openly disavowed the pro-Israel stance traditionally adopted by New York's mayoral candidates. Asked in a debate with others if he would visit Israel, he said he would stay put in New York as that's his priority.
He has called the Israeli actions in Gaza a genocide, a charge Benjamin Netanyahu's government denies. He's vowed to arrest Prime Minister Netanyahu if he comes to NYC, and signalled he may cut ties with Israeli industry and academia over the devastation of Gaza.
Additionally, while he said he supports Israel's “right to exist”, he decried any state or social hierarchy that favours Jews over others, for it would be incompatible with his belief in universal human rights.
He has clubbed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Trump with Netanyahu as leaders whose views and actions he considers dangerous and violent.
That's an assessment many Israelis view as an affront to the core premise of the country, which was founded as a homeland for Jews in the aftermath of the Holocaust in Germany.
But its democratic ideals have been questioned as Palestinian citizens of Israel frequently suffer discrimination, and millions of Palestinians live under Israeli occupation in the West Bank and Gaza.
What happens in New York City…
Why Mamdani is facing such scrutiny in Israel is also because the country has traditionally had a special connection with the city.
It is a popular destination for Israeli tourists and politicians, filled with kosher restaurants and home to an Israeli consulate that focuses heavily on relations with the Jewish community. Hebrew can often be heard on the streets and subways, noted the PTI report.
His views may have drawn accusations of antisemitism from mainstream Jewish groups and supporters of Israel, but he Mamdani has repeatedly committed to fighting antisemitism. He also developed strong alliances with centre-left Jewish leaders.
The AP Voter Poll found that he won roughly 30 per cent of the Jewish vote.
At his celebration party Tuesday night, Mamdani said, “we will build a City Hall that stands steadfast alongside Jewish New Yorkers and does not waver in the fight against the scourge of antisemitism.”
Articulating Israel's and Jews' fears
Israel's ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, has speculated that the New York “Jewish community's sense of security” might be harmed by Mamdani as mayor, as he has control over the city's police force.
Israel's minister of diaspora affairs, Amichai Chikli, a member of Netanyahu's nationalist Likud party, posted a stream of anti-Mamdani graphics on social media, including a reshared photo on X of the Twin Towers being engulfed in flames after the attacks of September 11, 2001, with the caption “New York already forgot".
Chikli also encouraged Jews in New York to relocate to Israel. "The city that was once a symbol of global freedom has handed over its keys to a Hamas supporter,” he said in a social media post.
The extreme rhetoric reflected a deep-seated fear in Israel that American politics are headed in a new direction.
“For a long, long time, American domestic politics were dominated by pro-Israel politicians, pro-Israel views. In large part, they still are,” said Mairav Zonszein, a senior analyst with the International Crisis Group. “Mamdani's win represents that American Jews, specifically the younger generation, are changing and there's no longer this monopoly of pro-Israel politics in domestic US politics.”
Netanyahu did not immediately comment on the Mamdani win. But his office tried Wednesday to remind Israelis that the country's relationship with the US was still strong.
She said the election results did not “undermine the incredible, enormous relationship the prime minister has with President Trump".
Palestinians celebrate Mamdani's win
In the Israel-occupied West Bank, the sentiment among Palestinians was far from gloomy. “The election of Mr Mamdani is truly inspiring,” said Palestinian politician Mustafa Barghouti. “It reflects a great uprising among the younger generation of the United States, including the Jewish young generation, against political and social injustice.”
“It also shows that the Palestinian issue has become an internal election issue all over the world, including in the United States of America," he told news agency AP.
