By: Russ Spencer

Democratic Socialist and mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani is again under fire — this time over a resurfaced video that critics say underscores his pattern of inflammatory rhetoric against Israel and its supporters. As reported by The New York Post on Tuesday, the controversy centers on a 2023 speech Mamdani delivered before the Democratic Socialists of America, where he appeared to mock supporters of Israel by using “Zionist” as the punchline to a joke.

At the 2023 DSA Convention, New York Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani said…

“If you don’t clap for El-Yateem, you’re a Zionist.”

He laughed it off—“it’s a joke, you don’t have to clap”—but what followed made clear that for Mamdani, the Israel-Palestine conflict isn’t just a talking… pic.twitter.com/1nPfqBBBtT

— Stu (@thestustustudio) June 23, 2025

“If you don’t clap for El-Yateem, you’re a Zionist!” Mamdani quipped, referencing Khader El-Yateem, a Palestinian Lutheran pastor and community organizer who previously ran for a Brooklyn City Council seat. Moments later, Mamdani clarified, “It’s a joke, you don’t have to clap.” But according to the report in The New York Post, pro-Israel advocates were not laughing.

The video, which surfaced again on social media last week, sparked a swift and angry response from many within New York’s Jewish community. Blake Flayton, a podcaster and host of ‘We Should All Be Zionists,’ told The New York Post that turning the word “Zionist” into a slur represents “the most significant antisemitic development of the 21st century.” Flayton warned, “This man is about to be mayor of New York. I don’t think people yet understand how much of a code red situation this is.”

While some of Mamdani’s defenders argued the remark was clearly intended as a joke, others saw it as part of a troubling pattern. Flayton responded directly to such defenses, asserting, “It’s not funny — racist and antisemitic jokes are not funny.”

Todd Richman, co-founder of Democratic Majority for Israel, echoed this sentiment in comments to The New York Post, labeling Mamdani’s quip “disgusting” and questioning the sincerity of Mamdani’s recent outreach to Jewish leaders. “He has been perpetuating an anti-Zionist and therefore anti-Jewish agenda since college,” Richman stated. “Now all of a sudden he is going to change?”

Joseph Potasnik, executive vice president of the New York Board of Rabbis, also weighed in, telling The New York Post that Mamdani’s record requires serious scrutiny. “He has to address comments he has made in the past that are controversial — and in some cases offensive,” Potasnik said, stressing that New York City, home to the largest Jewish population outside Israel, deserves clear answers. “We’re going to hold him accountable,” Potasnik affirmed.

Former Queens Councilman Rory Lancman was even more pointed in his critique, suggesting that Mamdani’s use of “Zionist” as a slur reflects a deeper ideological hostility. As quoted in The New York Post, Lancman said, “Deploying ‘Zionist’ as an epithet comes naturally to someone like Mr. Mamdani who fundamentally, and unabashedly, opposes the right of the Jewish people — and only the Jewish people — to self-determination, freedom, and safety in their ancestral homeland.”

Lancman accused Mamdani of demanding that Jews renounce this core part of their identity to gain political acceptance, declaring, “Mamdani believes deeply that every Jew must bend the knee.”

The controversial 2023 speech also featured Mamdani praising the Democratic Socialists of America for supporting the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel. “We mean what we say when we say we have a socialist politic. It is consistent, it is universal, and it stands for justice in every place with no exception,” Mamdani stated. The Anti-Defamation League, along with many Jewish organizations, has labeled BDS as antisemitic for seeking to delegitimize Israel.

Mamdani’s public activism, noting that he has led pro-Palestinian rallies chanting “BDS!” and has criticized fellow politicians for visiting Israel. The DSA, a key backer of Mamdani’s mayoral bid, endorsed him early and remains a major force in his campaign.

Since his Democratic primary victory over former Governor Andrew Cuomo and other challengers, Mamdani has embarked on what The New York Post called a “charm offensive,” aiming to expand his appeal before the November general election. This includes high-profile meetings with business leaders, party officials, and members of the Jewish community. However, his campaign declined to comment when The New York Post sought a response to the Zionist joke controversy.

This is far from Mamdani’s first brush with accusations of extremism. Mamdani previously refused to denounce the phrase “globalize the intifada,” a slogan widely seen as incitement to violence against Jews. Though he later said he discourages its use following pressure from Jewish elected officials, his initial stance drew widespread condemnation.

Moreover, The New York Post chronicled Mamdani’s controversial past comments about Anwar al-Awlaki, the former al Qaeda cleric and terrorist leader. In a series of 2015 tweets, Mamdani appeared to suggest that U.S. policies were responsible for radicalizing al-Awlaki, who was killed in a U.S. drone strike.

Despite mounting criticism, Mamdani’s supporters maintain that he represents a new voice in New York politics, one willing to challenge the status quo. Yet for many Jewish leaders and pro-Israel advocates the recurring pattern of inflammatory rhetoric and associations with radical movements remains deeply troubling.

As November’s election draws near, the central question for voters — particularly in New York City’s large and diverse Jewish community — is whether Mamdani’s recent overtures can be trusted, or whether his past statements and actions are a truer reflection of his political character. Either way, the scrutiny is certain to intensify in the weeks ahead.