The first democratic primary mayoral debate held on June 4 revealed the extent to which media narratives have been weaponized in an attempt to delegitimize the Mamdani campaign, as evidenced by questions directed at Mamdani on Israel’s status as a Jewish state, clearly designed to elicit controversy and undermine the substance of his policy platform. Assemblymember Mamdani was asked to address the issue of whether Israel has a “right to exist”—a question that is unique to Israel, and which lacks clear grounding in international law—to which he responded that he supports Israel’s right to exist “as a state with equal rights for all,” which drew immediate criticism, namely from former Governor Andrew Cuomo. When bizarrely asked what country each candidate would like to visit, Mamdani was the only candidate to say he would stay in New York and focus on helping New Yorkers. The rest of his primary opponents’ answer? Israel.
Mamdani’s arguably simple criticism of Israeli apartheid—shared by countless human rights organizations—has resulted in disproportionate attacks that are intended to sideline his campaign and drown out their overall message. In light of the ongoing smear campaign, Palestinian author and poet Mohammad el-Kurd wrote that “45 percent of homeless New Yorkers have a job—or multiple jobs—and still can’t afford a home. The average rent in Manhattan is over $4000. Eggs are like a million dollars. Yet supporting Israel’s right to slaughter children seems to be the defining issue of the mayoral race.”
But Mamdani isn’t just facing criticism from the United States’ pro-Israel camp, he’s also being confronted by Americans who have watched the ongoing genocide in Gaza continue and who are demanding more from local politicians than what they characterize as tepid solidarity.
On June 7 during a town hall event with Lina Khan and Zephyr Teachout, Mamdani was confronted about what a protester described as his “platitudes” and comments he had previously made stating that Israel had a right to exist. “No state has a right to exist,” they shouted. An undergraduate student at NYU spoke to Splinter anonymously, emphasizing that Mamdani should either accept the terms being laid out by those pushing a pro-Israel narrative and do a better job explaining his foreign policy position, or push back and reject the media’s pro-Israel hysteria while refocusing attention back to local issues and even how they tie into international solidarity. “Mamdani’s biggest mistake is allowing people who are calling for this genocide to continue to dictate the terms of this debate,” he tells Splinter. “Why are they asking Mamdani questions about Israel during a mayoral race? Why not highlight the fact that only Israel is given this kind of political deference and preferential treatment? It’s bizarre! There are a lot of ways he can handle this, especially if he’s wanting to shift attention back to local issues while also making it clear that media figures are being highly manipulative with their overall messaging during a genocide that’s resulted in the deaths of countless children.”
As the New York mayoral race enters the final stretch, Zohran Mamdani’s campaign holds significant implications for over 60 million New Yorkers, particularly in shaping the city’s political future. The genocide in Gaza has become a defining issue for many voters, directly influencing how they assess a candidate’s values and whether or not they will become more political fodder used by the Democratic Party, á la Alexandria Ocasio Cortez. Mamdani’s outspoken position on Palestine may galvanize progressive constituents and help secure a historic win—or, conversely, the intense media bias and liberal establishment backlash against his criticism of Israel could overshadow his mayoral campaign enough to derail his bid. The outcome of this race will not only determine the city’s leadership, but it will also reflect the shifting political consciousness of its electorate.
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