Socialist Democratic New York mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani failed to directly condemn the controversial phrase “globalize the intifada” on NBC News Sunday.
The term “globalize the intifada” is widely seen as a call to violence against Jews, and Jewish advocacy groups were angered when Zohran Mamdani declined to directly denounce the phrase. When asked about his reluctance on “Meet The Press,” Mamdani avoided a clear condemnation and instead talked about his commitment to universal human rights, stating that his language would align with principles of justice and freedom for all people, including both Israelis and Palestinians.
“That’s not language that I use. The language that I use and the language that I will continue to use to lead the city is that which speaks clearly to my intent, which is an intent grounded in a belief in universal human rights,” Mamdani said. “And ultimately that’s what is the foundation of so much of my politics. The belief that freedom and justice and safety are things that to have meaning have to be applied to all people. And that includes Israelis and Palestinians as life.”
Mamdani’s policies as a democratic socialist have faced criticism, as well as his statements on Israel. In an interview on “The Bulwark,” host Tim Miller asked Mamdani whether the phrases “Globalize the intifada” and “From the river to the sea” made him uncomfortable, to which he responded that he did not support banning the language, drawing backlash from Jewish advocacy groups and others.
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Host Kristen Welker then asked Mamdani directly if he actually condemned the phrase, but the candidate deflected further.
“I’ve heard from many Jewish New Yorkers who have shared their concerns with me especially in light of the horrific attacks that we saw in Washington, D.C. and in Boulder, Colorado about this moment of antisemitism in our country and in our city,” Mamdani said. “And I’ve heard those fears and I’ve had those conversations. And ultimately they are part and parcel of why in my campaign I’ve put forward a commitment to increase funding for anti-hate crime programming by 800%.”
Mamdani then defended his stance on free speech and said that as mayor, he would not “police speech.”
“I don’t believe that the role of the mayor is to police speech in the manner. Especially of that of Donald Trump who has put one New Yorker in jail, who’s just returned to his family, Mahmoud Khalil for that very supposed crime of speech. Ultimately what I think I need to show is the ability to not only talk about something but to tackle it. And to make clear that there’s no room for anti-semitism in the city,” Mamdani noted. “We have to root out that bigotry and ultimately we do that through the actions and that is the mayor I will be. One that protects Jewish New Yorkers and lives up to that commitment through the work that I do quickly for the people who care about the language and who feel really concerned by that phrase.”
Welker pressed on why he wouldn’t simply condemn the phrase, but Mamdani deflected again.
“My concern is to start to walk down the line of language. And making clear what language I believe is permissible or impermissible takes me into a place similar to that of the president who is looking to do those very kinds of things. Putting people in jail for writing an op-ed, putting them in jail for protesting,” Mamdani said. “Ultimately, it’s not language that I use. It’s language, I understand there are concerns about.”
Mamdani pledged Wednesday on MSNBC’s “The Briefing with Jen Psaki” to increase funding for hate crime programs in the city by 800% to help “root out” antisemitism. Mamdani secured the Democratic mayoral nomination Tuesday, defeating former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo for the chance to lead America’s largest city
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