What Zohran Mamdani S Anti Zionist Formation Means For New York
Zohran Mamdani, in condemning Israel’s genocide in Gaza and its Zionist principles while running for New York City mayor, in objecting to “any state that has a hierarchy of citizenship on the basis of... In the wake of Great Britain’s 1917 Balfour Declaration that opened the doors for a Jewish nation in Palestine, Zionism animated debate among not only the 1,600,000 Jewish New Yorkers but also among the... Strident anti-Zionist opposition emerged from both of these mostly immigrant communities, articulated in language that remains resonant today. At the time, NYC’s Arabophone population clustered around the twin poles of Washington Street in Manhattan, known as the “Syrian Colony,” and the “South Ferry” neighborhood at the western end of Atlantic Avenue in... Living and working in these areas were immigrants and first-generation US citizens from what was then called “Ottoman Syria”—today’s Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Palestine/Israel. The community supported numerous Arab-language newspapers and journals, multiple record labels devoted to Middle Eastern musical lineages, and was home to the Pen League of Arab American writers, including luminaries such as poet/artist Khalil...
This intellectual incubator produced, in 1917, the Palestine Anti-Zionism Society, sometimes called the Palestinian League for the Resistance of Zionism. Its first president was writer/translator Nejib A. Katibah, though its prime mover seems to have been physician Fou’ad Shatara. The Palestine-born Shatara had arrived in NYC in 1914, twenty-two years old, fleeing conscription in the Ottoman army. He graduated from Columbia medical school and became a member of the elite New York Society of Surgeons and a teacher at the School of Medicine at Long Island College Hospital and then Cumberland... Shatara later founded the Palestinian Renaissance Society and became president of the Arab National League of America.
In 1918 and 1919, Shatara made a series of appearances publicly protesting the idea of a Zionist takeover of Palestine. At the Bossert Hotel and the Masonic Temple in Brooklyn, at a meeting in Bernardsville, N.J., he spoke alongside, variously, Katibah, Rihani, and Columbia professor Philip Hitti–now considered the originator of Arabic Studies in... Some of these events were under the auspices of the Palestine Anti-Zionism Society; others were not registered as such by the English-language newspapers, which did, however, report Shatara’s speeches: “We protest against the usurpation... The events drew criticism, and accusations of anti-Semitism which Shatara addressed in a letter to the Brooklyn Citizen in December of 1918: New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani on June 24. Photo by Michael M.
Santiago/Getty Images New York’s Jewish community, online and off, is preoccupied with Zohran Mamdani’s stunning upset in New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary: What would his history of activism against Israel mean should he become mayor? Did the Jews who voted for him consider above all his plans for social relief? The 33-year-old Democratic Socialist is a vocal critic of Israel and aligned with progressive causes. His potential victory over incumbent Mayor Eric Adams in the general election is raising questions not only about his stance on Israel, but also about how he would govern a city with the largest... During the campaign, Mamdani did not shy away from controversies, Jewish and otherwise.
He said he would not visit Israel, breaking with a tradition upheld by mayors since 1951 to show solidarity with the fledgling nation and with Jewish constituents at home. He is the first Democratic nominee to pledge to publicly back the movement to boycott Israel as mayor, which some in the pro-Israel community see as an assault on the legitimacy of the Jewish... Mamdani, who is Muslim, also came under fire for declining to co-sponsor resolutions recognizing Israel’s independence and commemorating the Holocaust. Jewish colleagues in the state house accused Mamdani of antisemitism after he authored a bill to penalize charities supporting Israeli settlements. His critics said it targeted, in part, Jewish organizations and nonprofits assisting families of terror victims or providing support for units of the Israel Defense Forces. Prologue: Election Night in Queens — When New York Spoke for Gaza
On a cold November evening in Queens, the atmosphere outside City Hall felt electric. Thousands gathered in the streets, waving Palestinian flags and chanting “Ceasefire Now!” as the final votes came in. The results confirmed what had seemed unthinkable just months before — Zohran Mamdani, a progressive Democratic Socialist, an Indian-Ugandan Muslim immigrant, had been elected Mayor of New York City. For many, this was not merely a local victory but a moral event of global consequence. As fireworks lit up the skyline, the crowd broke into chants of “Queens for Gaza” and “From the River to the Sea — Justice Will Be Free.” The symbolism was unmistakable: New York, home... Mamdani’s campaign was marked by moral clarity and unflinching language.
During his rallies, he declared, “We cannot be silent while the people of Gaza face extermination. Zionism, like apartheid, must be named and opposed.” For the first time in U.S. history, a major city had chosen a leader who not only rejected AIPAC money but also vowed to hold Israel accountable under international law. As Mondoweiss reported in Michael Arria’s analysis, “Mamdani’s victory represents a breaking point — a signal that the Gaza genocide has permanently altered the place of Israel in U.S. politics.” His supporters saw it as a moral referendum, a vote not only for affordable housing and labour rights but also for global justice. This is read by an automated voice.
Please report any issues or inconsistencies here. NEW YORK — A few weeks before his stunning loss to Zohran Mamdani in the Democratic mayoral primary, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo put forth a political calculus long accepted as fact in New York: “Being a Democrat,” he said, “it’s synonymous that you support Israel.” Mamdani, who would be the city’s first Muslim mayor, could be on the cusp of shattering that convention. An unstinting supporter of Palestinian rights, the 34-year-old democratic socialist has accused Israel of genocide in Gaza, backed the movement to boycott the country’s goods and pledged to have Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrested... In a city with the largest Jewish population outside of Israel, where mayors have long been expected to make the long pilgrimage to the Jewish state, Mamdani identifies proudly as an “anti-Zionist.”
New York’s hotly contested mayoral race came to a close Tuesday night as Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani was declared the winner. Mamdani, a 34-year-old assemblyman from Queens, carried 50.4% of the votes to former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s 41.3% at around 9:40 p.m. The projection, which came as 75% of votes were counted, found GOP nominee Curtis Sliwa trailing with 7.5%. This election cycle had been labeled a referendum on Israel and the war in Gaza to many New Yorkers. Mamdani’s career as a politician and activist has been largely defined by his staunch anti-Israel stance. Mamdani, who has called Israel an apartheid state and championed the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement, has now become the first openly anti-Zionist mayor of a city home to the largest Jewish population outside...
His victory marks a dramatic shift in New York politics — one that reflects the growing divide among Democrats over Israel and the future of Jewish identity in progressive spaces. In recent years, Mamdani has drawn praise from activists who see him as a principled voice for Palestinian rights — and condemnation from Jewish leaders who accuse him of legitimizing antisemitic rhetoric and aligning... With tensions over the Gaza war still raw, his mayoralty is likely to test how the city balances free speech, public safety, and the concerns of its 1.6 million Jewish residents.
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Zohran Mamdani, In Condemning Israel’s Genocide In Gaza And Its
Zohran Mamdani, in condemning Israel’s genocide in Gaza and its Zionist principles while running for New York City mayor, in objecting to “any state that has a hierarchy of citizenship on the basis of... In the wake of Great Britain’s 1917 Balfour Declaration that opened the doors for a Jewish nation in Palestine, Zionism animated debate among not only the 1,600,000 Jewish New Yorkers but also amo...
This Intellectual Incubator Produced, In 1917, The Palestine Anti-Zionism Society,
This intellectual incubator produced, in 1917, the Palestine Anti-Zionism Society, sometimes called the Palestinian League for the Resistance of Zionism. Its first president was writer/translator Nejib A. Katibah, though its prime mover seems to have been physician Fou’ad Shatara. The Palestine-born Shatara had arrived in NYC in 1914, twenty-two years old, fleeing conscription in the Ottoman army....
In 1918 And 1919, Shatara Made A Series Of Appearances
In 1918 and 1919, Shatara made a series of appearances publicly protesting the idea of a Zionist takeover of Palestine. At the Bossert Hotel and the Masonic Temple in Brooklyn, at a meeting in Bernardsville, N.J., he spoke alongside, variously, Katibah, Rihani, and Columbia professor Philip Hitti–now considered the originator of Arabic Studies in... Some of these events were under the auspices of ...
Santiago/Getty Images New York’s Jewish Community, Online And Off, Is
Santiago/Getty Images New York’s Jewish community, online and off, is preoccupied with Zohran Mamdani’s stunning upset in New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary: What would his history of activism against Israel mean should he become mayor? Did the Jews who voted for him consider above all his plans for social relief? The 33-year-old Democratic Socialist is a vocal critic of Israel and aligned...
He Said He Would Not Visit Israel, Breaking With A
He said he would not visit Israel, breaking with a tradition upheld by mayors since 1951 to show solidarity with the fledgling nation and with Jewish constituents at home. He is the first Democratic nominee to pledge to publicly back the movement to boycott Israel as mayor, which some in the pro-Israel community see as an assault on the legitimacy of the Jewish... Mamdani, who is Muslim, also came...