House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries’ endorsement of pro-Palestinian radical Zohran Mamdani sparks backlash over the Democrat’s history of anti-Israel rhetoric and open hostility toward Jewish communities.
In a stunning move that has shaken New York’s political landscape, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) has formally endorsed Zohran Mamdani, a far-left Democrat notorious for his anti-Israel tirades and inflammatory stance toward the Jewish community.
Jeffries’ endorsement, issued Friday, comes after months of hesitation and public pressure — and despite deep unease among Jewish voters, who view Mamdani as a symbol of the Democratic Party’s growing tolerance of antisemitism.
“Despite our areas of principled disagreement, Zohran Mamdani has focused on affordability and committed to being a mayor for all New Yorkers,” Jeffries said in a statement to The New York Times.
The announcement ends a long period of ambiguity during which Jeffries — himself representing one of the largest Jewish constituencies in the country — had refused to publicly back Mamdani.
The Democratic nominee for mayor, Mamdani defeated former Governor Andrew Cuomo in a shocking June primary upset and now faces both Republican Curtis Sliwa and Cuomo’s independent bid in what has become one of the most polarizing New York elections in decades.
But Mamdani’s record on Israel is unmistakable — and deeply troubling.
Just one day after Hamas’s October 7, 2023 massacre, when over 1,200 Israelis were slaughtered and hundreds kidnapped, Mamdani attacked Israel instead of condemning terrorism. He has since accused the Jewish state of “war crimes,” declared his refusal to use the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism, and even vowed to arrest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should he ever visit New York — citing an ICC warrant that has no legal standing in the United States.
His rhetoric has included support for the extremist slogan “globalize the intifada,” a phrase widely condemned as a call for global violence against Jews.
Jeffries previously acknowledged that Mamdani “must convince Jewish voters he is serious about combating antisemitism,” yet his Friday endorsement appears to contradict those words.
Community leaders and pro-Israel advocates have expressed outrage, warning that Jeffries’ support legitimizes a candidate who has repeatedly demonized Israel while excusing terror.
“This is a betrayal of Jewish New Yorkers,” said one Brooklyn rabbi. “You cannot claim to stand against antisemitism while endorsing a man who glorifies Hamas talking points.”
For many, Jeffries’ decision reflects the Democratic Party’s growing moral crisis — a willingness to embrace candidates who vilify Israel and appease radical voices under the guise of progressivism.
As New York’s mayoral race intensifies, one question looms: Has the Democratic establishment just crossed a line from silence to complicity?
