By: Fern Sidman

As the 2025 New York City mayoral race intensifies, Zohran Mamdani, a State Assembly member from Queens and proud member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), finds himself embroiled in renewed controversy surrounding his staunch support for the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement and his inflammatory positions on Israel. According to a report on Tuesday at VIN News, Mamdani’s public comments continue to alienate a significant portion of the city’s Jewish community, raising profound questions about his fitness to lead a city known for its strong Jewish heritage and deep ties to the State of Israel.

In a recent interview with journalist Jacob Kornbluh, Mamdani once again defended his support for BDS, a movement many Jewish organizations — both in the United States and abroad — condemn as inherently antisemitic. While Mamdani insisted that BDS is rooted in human rights and international law, he offered no indication of reconsidering his position, even in the face of widespread condemnation.

“I support the BDS movement because it is a nonviolent means of holding Israel accountable for its actions,” Mamdani told Kornbluh. Yet, as the report at VIN News indicated, his refusal to engage with the concerns of Jewish leaders, who see BDS as a direct attack on Israel’s right to exist, continues to fracture community trust.

Mamdani’s hardline positions are not limited to BDS. As VIN News reported, he has repeatedly used his platform to accuse Israel of committing “near-genocide” in Gaza and has refused to retract a previous statement suggesting that the NYPD should arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if the International Criminal Court (ICC) were to issue a warrant.

While Mamdani asserts that he does not condone Hamas’s violent tactics—calling the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led massacre “a horrific war crime”—he has refused to publicly condemn prominent left-wing figures like Twitch streamer Hasan Piker, who mocked Israeli hostages in the aftermath of the attack. Instead, Mamdani dismissed the controversy by saying, “I don’t go around policing what individuals say online.”

This apparent double standard has been deeply troubling to many in the Jewish community. “His rhetoric is not just divisive—it’s harmful,” said David Greenfield, CEO of the Met Council, in a statement to VIN News. “It incites hatred, and it weakens the bond that New York City shares with Israel and Jewish communities worldwide.”

Unsurprisingly, Mamdani’s positions have drawn condemnation from across the political spectrum. Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and investor-activist Whitney Tilson have both criticized the assemblyman for enabling antisemitic narratives under the guise of progressivism. Political analyst Rachel Stein, speaking to VIN News, warned that Mamdani’s “refusal to disavow BDS and his soft stance on antisemitism signal a dangerous trend. These views are out of step with the values of most New Yorkers.”

Mamdani insists that his message still resonates with some Jewish voters, claiming support from a subset of the community that appreciates his candor and commitment to social justice. Yet VIN News reported a deepening rift between the candidate and major Jewish institutions, many of which are alarmed by his alliances and rhetoric.

Mamdani’s campaign for mayor, built on progressive local issues such as affordable housing, elder care, and tenant protections, is struggling to break through a growing storm of criticism over his foreign policy views and their implications for Jewish New Yorkers. As the report at VIN News noted, the mayoral hopeful has become increasingly defined not by his city-first agenda, but by his polarizing views on Israel.

For many Jewish leaders, the issue isn’t solely about foreign policy—it’s about trust, representation, and safety. Mamdani’s alignment with radical anti-Israel voices, his refusal to denounce those who traffic in antisemitic tropes, and his antagonistic framing of Israel as a pariah state have triggered concerns that extend well beyond political disagreement. These fears are compounded by recent surges in antisemitic hate crimes in New York City, where Jewish communities remain especially vulnerable.

Mamdani’s past suggestion that Netanyahu be arrested by the NYPD under an ICC warrant has been cited by experts as a diplomatic powder keg. Critics warn that such statements not only undermine America’s strategic alliance with Israel but also risk destabilizing the city’s long-standing role as a safe haven for Jewish communities and a diplomatic bridge in Middle East affairs.

“Mamdani’s mayoral aspirations are built on the premise of inclusion and justice,” Greenfield told VIN News, “but his record on Israel and his dismissive response to real antisemitic speech show a glaring hypocrisy. That is not what leadership looks like.”

As the race for Gracie Mansion heats up, Zohran Mamdani’s campaign stands at a crossroads. Will his progressive message be able to withstand growing concerns over his foreign policy radicalism and his perceived tolerance for antisemitic voices? Or will New York City voters—especially its robust and diverse Jewish community—demand a clearer moral compass from someone seeking to lead a city defined by pluralism?

VIN News concluded that Mamdani’s positions may appeal to segments of the Democratic Socialist base, but his refusal to distance himself from BDS, his alignment with extremist figures, and his dismissive tone on issues of antisemitism are likely to remain political liabilities that overshadow his domestic agenda.

In a city still reeling from rising hate crimes and seeking unity after global unrest, Mamdani’s candidacy could well become a referendum on how much New Yorkers are willing to tolerate in the name of ideological purity.