NY Jewish Democrats defend Mamdani after Netanyahu calls him a Hamas supporter

New York Jewish Democrats defend Mayor Zohran Mamdani after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused him of antisemitism and ties to Hamas at the UN General Assembly, saying the remarks went too far and could incite violence. Officials like Brad Hoylman-Sigal and Julie Menin criticized Netanyahu's claims, while Mamdani condemned Hamas and denounced the speech as baseless lies.

Some top New York Jewish Democrats are defending New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called him an 'antisemite' and said he is 'buddies' with Hamas during his speech at the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday. The remarks were the culmination of escalating criticism of Mamdani from Israeli officials in recent weeks. Mamdani is an avowed anti-Zionist who, during his campaign to be mayor, had pledged to arrest Netanyahu. Over the summer, he conceded he didn't have the power to do so, though he criticized the Israeli government over Gaza. While his full-throated criticism of Israel has alarmed some local Jewish officials, many felt that Netanyahu's attacks went too far. Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal, who is Jewish, said it is 'scurrilous to suggest that the mayor voices support for Hamas.' City Council Speaker Julie Menin said Netanyahu's remarks were 'not helpful at all' because 'we need to turn the temperature down' and that 'this idea of what the prime minister said can really incite violence.' Mamdani has condemned Hamas as 'a terrorist organization' and denounced antisemitic hate crimes. He responded by saying Netanyahu 'used his speech to repeat baseless lies meant to sanitize his genocide of Palestinians.' Netanyahu's remarks came amid a reelection campaign in which his Likud Party has made Mamdani a villain. Hoylman-Sigal called the speech a 'political ploy' and a 'deflection.'