So why have there been a number of protests and rallies since then, urging the mayor to tone down what he says? Why are some New Yorkers fast in charge him for contributing to the air of hostility towards Jewish New Yorkers?
It’s not about discovering a political bogeyman or a scapegoat, as some would possibly suppose. The reality is that Mamdani, an outspoken critic of Israel and its warfare in Gaza, has acted politically in leveraging the battle for his personal private acquire, whatever the higher penalties his robust phrases and statements might have on the Jewish group of New York.
This metropolis has confronted a relentless surge of antisemitism because the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist assaults on Israel. Greater than half of all hate crimes dedicated in New York Metropolis this yr, on Mamdani’s watch, have focused Jewish New Yorkers. The July 23 stabbing of two males on the Higher West Facet by a suspect who shouted “Allah Akhbar” (Arabic for “God is great”) earlier than attacking one of many victims, a Jewish man, with a screwdriver, is simply the most recent instance of the hate Jews face in New York at this time.
Mamdani condemned the bloody hate crime and others which have occurred in New York this yr. He has mentioned he has zero tolerance for antisemitism and would fulfill his obligation as mayor to guard all New Yorkers from hatred. All of those statements are welcome.
On the similar time, nonetheless, Mamdani refuses to acknowledge Israel as a Jewish state. He has accused her of committing genocide in Gaza. He has known as for the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pursuant to an Worldwide Felony Court docket warrant towards him for warfare crimes — and even vowed to do it himself up till final week, when he admitted he had no authority as mayor to take action.
Mamdani’s outspokenness on the warfare in Gaza and insistence that Israel has dedicated genocide positive aspects him supporters on the left, nevertheless it additionally stokes passions which have led to hostility and acts of hate towards the Jewish group of New York. He didn’t begin the hearth of hatred on this metropolis, however he has helped pour gasoline upon it.
All of the whereas, Mamdani has gone out of his method to ignore the various atrocities dedicated by Hamas, Hezbollah and different teams by the years who’ve sought to commit genocide towards Israel and wipe them off the map.
He has gone out of his method to keep away from the explanation why Israel had attacked Gaza within the first place — in response to the sneak assault by Gaza-controlled Hamas of Oct. 7, 2023, that left greater than 1,500 useless, and lots of of harmless folks held hostage.
If Mamdani can’t acknowledge this painful historical past, he can’t adequately defend the Jewish group of New York — and due to this fact, his vows to take action lack any true which means.
That is why so many Jewish New Yorkers are scared and indignant at their mayor — not due to who he’s, however due to what he chooses to say, and what he chooses to disregard. Which means all the things.
In the end, the mayor should get up to this realization. Mamdani says he’s a mayor for all New Yorkers, together with Jewish New Yorkers. It’s time he began appearing prefer it.
