By: Ariella Haviv

In an increasingly fractured Democratic political landscape, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, one of the United States’ most prominent Jewish elected officials, has issued a stark warning about the direction of political discourse surrounding Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for mayor of New York City. Shapiro expressed concern over what he described as the Mamdani campaign’s failure to adequately confront and denounce “blatantly antisemitic” rhetoric voiced by some of the candidate’s most fervent supporters.

In remarks published by Jewish Insider and widely cited by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA), Shapiro stated that Mamdani’s campaign “left open far too much space for extremists to either use his words or for him to not condemn the words of extremists that said some blatantly antisemitic things.” The comments by Shapiro, whose profile as a Jewish Democrat with strong pro-Israel credentials continues to rise nationally, come amid growing tensions over Israel, Gaza, and the future of Democratic Party identity.

The Jewish Telegraphic Agency has extensively chronicled Mamdani’s controversial stance on Middle East issues, particularly his refusal during the mayoral primary to denounce the chant “globalize the intifada,” a slogan that has gained traction in pro-Palestinian activist circles. While many of Mamdani’s supporters claim the phrase represents a nonviolent call for global solidarity with Palestinian liberation movements, critics — including major Jewish communal organizations — interpret it as a veiled call for violence. As the JTA report noted, the term “intifada” refers to two Palestinian uprisings, particularly the Second Intifada (2000–2005), during which more than 1,000 Israelis were killed, many in suicide bombings targeting civilians.

Mamdani, a democratic socialist and vocal critic of Israeli policy, has stated that his support for Palestinian rights is foundational to his political identity. He backs the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement and has accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza — claims that have deepened divides within the Democratic Party. Despite winning the primary decisively, Mamdani has not received endorsements from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer or House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, although both extended congratulations on his victory.

According to the information provided in the JTA report, Shapiro’s remarks reflect a broader unease among establishment Democrats who are alarmed by the sharp shift in party sentiment. A Quinnipiac University poll cited by JTA in June found that 60% of Democratic voters now sympathize more with Palestinians than Israelis, up from 41% in November 2023 — a sign of the growing sway of progressive voices who view Israel’s actions in Gaza with deep skepticism or outright hostility.

Governor Shapiro, often mentioned as a potential 2028 presidential contender, has long defined himself as a supporter of Israel and a vocal advocate for combating antisemitism. His public Jewish identity and record on Jewish issues are deeply entwined with his political brand.

“Across the board, I want to see more support for Israel, for a Jewish state. That doesn’t mean that one can’t be critical of Israeli policy,” Shapiro told Jewish Insider, as quoted by JTA. But he drew a red line around failure to denounce antisemitic expressions. “You have to speak and act with moral clarity, and when supporters of yours say things that are blatantly antisemitic, you can’t leave room for that to just sit there. You’ve got to condemn that.”

The JTA report noted that this latest intervention is not Shapiro’s first experience at the center of a debate over antisemitism and Israel. Last year, while being considered as a potential vice-presidential running mate to Kamala Harris, Shapiro faced what some supporters called an unfair campaign to discredit him based on his staunchly pro-Israel stance — a campaign that many felt singled him out for being Jewish despite other contenders having similar foreign policy views.

In a more chilling episode, JTA reported that Shapiro’s home was set ablaze in April by a man who later claimed he was motivated by pro-Palestinian sentiments. Although the governor declined to publicly label the arson attack as antisemitic — instead deferring to prosecutors to make a determination — the incident added urgency to Shapiro’s longstanding warnings about the real-world consequences of radicalized discourse.

Not all Jewish politicians have opposed Mamdani’s candidacy. New York Representative Jerry Nadler — a veteran Jewish lawmaker — and New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, himself Jewish and a progressive, have expressed support for Mamdani. Lander, who even ran against Mamdani in the primary, defended him vigorously following Shapiro’s comments.

“Zohran Mamdani won the votes of a large majority of NYC Democrats, including thousands of proud Jews like me, inspired by his vision of a city everyone can afford and confident about his commitment to combating antisemitism and hate,” Lander stated, according to the JTA report. “Josh Shapiro won’t help keep Jews safe in NYC or Pennsylvania by feeding Trump’s narrative about our Democratic nominee for mayor.”

Lander’s remarks appeared to allude to suggestions — floated by right-wing commentators — that Mamdani’s citizenship could be investigated, a line of attack that the JTA noted has gained limited traction but provoked anxiety among some Democratic officials concerned about playing into populist and nativist rhetoric.

While Governor Shapiro’s remarks have injected a new level of urgency into the debate over Mamdani, key national Democratic figures have largely remained silent or noncommittal. As the JTA report pointed out, neither Senator Schumer nor Representative Jeffries has endorsed Mamdani, though both offered pro forma congratulations. Their cautious posture reflects the difficult balancing act facing Democratic leadership, which is navigating growing pro-Palestinian sentiment among the grassroots base while trying to maintain relationships with Jewish constituencies and longstanding allies of Israel.

At the same time, progressive leaders continue to press for a more aggressive position. The JTA report noted that senior Labor-style figures within the U.S. left — including mayors and parliamentary counterparts — have echoed Mamdani’s views, advocating for immediate recognition of Palestinian statehood and the withdrawal of U.S. support for Israel’s Gaza campaign.

The tensions between establishment Democrats and the party’s progressive wing, as chronicled by the JTA, appear likely to intensify as candidates like Mamdani gain influence in urban centers and bring unapologetically anti-Israel rhetoric into the mainstream of Democratic politics. What remains unclear is how far the party leadership is willing to go in confronting rhetoric it regards as harmful or antisemitic — particularly when it emanates from within the Democratic coalition.

For Governor Shapiro, the answer is clear: condemnation must be swift, unequivocal, and consistent. Whether his appeal for moral clarity will resonate more broadly remains an open question, one that will almost certainly shape the Democratic Party’s trajectory as it heads into the next national election cycle.

The debate over Mamdani’s candidacy is more than a local political story. It is a referendum on the moral and ideological direction of one of America’s two major parties — and a defining test of how the Democratic Party will reconcile its internal differences on antisemitism, Israel, and the rhetoric surrounding both.