With just hours to go before Election Day, an antisemitism research institute has issued an urgent report on New York City socialist mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, raising concerns about his controversial positions on Israel and potential risks to the city’s Jewish community. The Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy (ISGAP) released a comprehensive report titled ‘Zohran Mamdani: From SJP to Gracie Mansion?’, which outlines Mamdani’s ideological context, his associations with anti-Israel figures, and his reluctance to disavow the contentious slogan ‘globalize the intifada,’ which is associated with terrorism and violence.
Charles Asher Small, the founding director of ISGAP, warned that voters must understand the ideological underpinnings of Mamdani’s campaign. The report details Mamdani’s father, a Columbia University professor with controversial views on Israel, and his founding of the Students for Justice in Palestine chapter at Bowdoin College. It also highlights Mamdani’s past statements and the anti-Israel individuals who endorse him for mayor. The report argues that Mamdani’s rhetoric and associations could lead to increased antisemitism and a breakdown of communal trust in New York, which houses the largest Jewish community outside of Israel.
The report further criticizes Mamdani for downplaying the October 7 Hamas massacre and labeling Israel’s response as ‘genocide,’ while introducing a bill to punish New York charities that support Israel. Mamdani’s association with Imam Siraj Wahhaj, a Brooklyn cleric who was a character witness for the 1993 World Trade Center bombing mastermind, has also drawn political backlash. The ISGAP report points out that Mamdani’s campaign has received funding from the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), which has been named an unindicted co-conspirator in a terror-financing trial.
Despite significant opposition from the Jewish community and viral clips of Mamdani using inflammatory language against Israel, he leads in the polls. The report suggests that Mamdani’s appeal stems from economic and social frustrations in New York, where he promises policies that are appealing yet unrealistic. Small emphasizes that radical anti-Zionism has been repackaged as progressive politics, posing a threat to Jewish life and the city’s communal harmony. Fox News Digital reached out to Mamdani’s campaign for comment.