October 17, 2025 — New York, NY
American Jewish Committee (AJC), the global advocacy organization for the Jewish people, remains deeply troubled by New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani’s continued use of problematic rhetoric as it relates to Israel and Jews, urges Mamdani to hear the concerns of the New York Jewish community, and to change course.
AJC is a 501c3 organization. We do not endorse or oppose candidates for elected office. However, we are compelled to speak out when public figures use rhetoric or endorse policies that harm Jews. AJC is urging Mamdani to give serious consideration to the concerns below, and to engage in dialogue and consultation with organizations and segments of the mainstream New York Jewish community. By continuing to prioritize anti-Zionist synagogues and groups, Mamdani ignores the perspectives and concerns of the vast majority of Jewish New Yorkers.
Genocide Claim
In his public statements, including last night’s mayoral debate, Mamdani continues to use the term “genocide” to describe Israel’s defensive counterterror operations to bring home the hostages held in Gaza and dismantle Hamas, the internationally recognized terror organization that launched the deadliest attack against the Jewish people since the Holocaust on October 7, 2023.
This charge is unequivocally false and dangerous, has not been proven in any international court, and gives fodder to those who continue to use Israel’s self-defensive actions as an excuse to threaten and attack Jews.
Israel’s goals in its self-defensive war in Gaza have always been to defeat Hamas, free the hostages, and protect its citizens. Israel issues evacuation warnings, opens humanitarian corridors, and works to get aid in — actions utterly inconsistent with genocidal intent. Every civilian death is a tragedy that must not be minimized, but calling Israel’s actions genocide cheapens the word, undermines justice for actual genocides happening in the world, and fuels antisemitism by spreading misinformation – fanning the flames of division in New York communities that continue to reel from the effects of the October 7 attack and the resulting war. All of this undermines the cause of advancing peace between Israelis and Palestinians, and only serves to make Jewish New Yorkers feel unsafe.
Further explanation of the problematic genocide claim can be found here.
Israel’s Right to Exist as a Jewish and Democratic State
In last night’s mayoral debate, Mamdani repeated that he does not support Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state as he “would not recognize any state's right to exist with a system of hierarchy on the basis of race or religion." In continuing to repeat this refrain, Mamdani is delegitimizing the existence of the State of Israel, the world’s only Jewish majority state. This is an unacceptable double standard. Israel is surrounded by Muslim countries, yet Mamdani does not continuously suggest that any of those nations should not exist as they are.
Further, Israel’s Declaration of Independence clearly states that “it will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex”, which is also upheld in Israeli law. While Mamdani may take issue with certain Israeli policies, it is deeply offensive for him to continue to question Israel’s existence as a Jewish state. Jewish New Yorkers have a deep connection to Israel, just as many diaspora communities in the city feel to their respective homelands. The continued singling out of Israel in this way is damaging to the majority of Jewish New Yorkers who are proudly Zionist and deeply connected to Israel.
Lack of Consistent Moral Clarity on Hamas
While Mamdani condemned Hamas’ brutal attack in his most recent October 7 statement, in a recent Fox News interview, when pressed, he refused to condemn the terror organization or agree that it should disarm.
This is deeply concerning. Hamas is an internationally recognized terror organization. In addition to its abhorrent attacks on Israel, in recent days Hamas has executed more than 30 Palestinians in Gaza, yet Mamdani has been silent.
Hamas continues to publicly call for the annihilation of the State of Israel and for violence against Jews - this is deeply personal to most Jewish New Yorkers, presumably including those who are critical of Israel’s war in Gaza. It should not be difficult to clearly and consistently condemn this terror organization.
Mamdani’s professed concern for the well-being of Israelis and Palestinians would be more credible if he were to advocate for the disarmament of Hamas, which would fundamentally contribute to advancing peace in the region, and the fulfillment of the 20-point peace plan endorsed by dozens of countries around the world.
AJC is the global advocacy organization for the Jewish people. With headquarters in New York, 25 regional offices across the United States, 15 overseas posts, as well as partnerships with 38 Jewish community organizations worldwide, AJC’s mission is to enhance the well-being of the Jewish people and Israel and to advance human rights and democratic values in the United States and around the world. For more, please visit www.ajc.org.
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