Zohran Mamdani’s rejection of the IHRA antisemitism definition and embrace of BDS sparks bipartisan outrage as Jewish voters turn sharply against him.
New York City mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani is under fire after announcing that he would abandon the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism—a move that lawmakers blasted as reckless, dangerous, and a gift to extremists.
Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) and Mike Lawler (R-NY), the bipartisan sponsors of the Antisemitism Awareness Act, condemned Mamdani’s stance in no uncertain terms. “This reckless attempt to erase the IHRA definition is shameful, dangerous, and completely disgusting,” they declared. The lawmakers stressed that the IHRA standard is crucial for the U.S. Department of Education to fight antisemitism “wherever it rears its ugly head.”
Mamdani, a New York State assemblyman who recently clinched the Democratic mayoral nomination and currently leads in polls, doubled down by voicing support for the anti-Israel BDS movement in an interview with Bloomberg. That drew additional fury from Gottheimer and Lawler: “Let’s be extremely clear. The BDS movement is antisemitic. Efforts to delegitimize Israel’s right to exist are antisemitic. Refusing to outright condemn the violent call to ‘globalize the intifada’ is indefensible.”
Mamdani has long faced criticism for his radical anti-Israel positions, including attacking Israel on October 8, 2023, just one day after Hamas’ massacre of over 1,200 Israelis. His refusal to condemn the slogan “globalize the intifada” has only hardened accusations that he provides cover for antisemitic rhetoric and terror sympathies.
A new Quinnipiac poll reveals the fallout: Jewish voters overwhelmingly reject Mamdani, with 75% holding unfavorable views of him. Instead, they favor independent candidate Mayor Eric Adams, who leads among Jewish voters with 42% support, double Mamdani’s 21%. Former Governor Andrew Cuomo comes in third with 20%.
Despite the uproar, Governor Kathy Hochul endorsed Mamdani this week, while admitting she previously urged him to make amends with Jewish communities. “I look forward to working together to make sure New Yorkers of all faiths feel safe and welcome,” Hochul said. But critics argue her endorsement legitimizes a candidate openly aligned with BDS and hostile to Israel.
For Jewish New Yorkers, the choice in November is becoming increasingly clear: stand against antisemitism—or risk electing a mayor who enables it.
