Douglas Murray, an Israel-supporting British commentator, has publicly criticized both Zohran Mamdani and Sadiq Khan for their comments on Israel’s actions in Gaza, arguing that local officials should focus on domestic issues rather than engage in foreign policy. Murray, speaking at the Israel on Campus Coalition (ICC) summit, stated that London Mayor Sadiq Khan and New York mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani should ‘stay out’ of foreign policy, as these roles do not include addressing international affairs. Murray criticized their stance on Gaza, suggesting that their involvement in the issue is both unnecessary and misguided. Both Khan and Mamdani have previously expressed opposition to Israel’s actions in Gaza, with Mamdani recently distancing himself from the phrase ‘globalize the intifada,’ which encourages expanding Palestinian uprisings against Israel.
Murray claimed Khan ‘isn’t a progressive, just a sort of opportunist and heartless bad man.’ President Donald Trump reignited his feud with Khan during a visit to Scotland over the weekend, calling him a ‘nasty person’ who has done a ‘terrible job.’ Khan has urged his government to recognize a Palestinian state, arguing the U.K. must do more to pressure the Israeli government to stop the conflict and allow aid to enter Gaza. Murray characterized Mamdani as an ‘opportunistic politician’ who ‘would like to get into power by promising New Yorkers things that he cannot bring.’ He argued that Mamdani’s Democratic socialist stance could harm New York’s economy, which is already struggling with issues like brain drain and economic stagnation.
The summit comes amid tensions over the U.S. government’s increased crackdown on pro-Gaza protests. The State Department has revoked the visas of students believed to be engaging in ‘pro-Hamas’ activities, and the Trump administration has cut off federal funding from universities not addressing antisemitism at such protests. At the same time, the nation has seen a rise in antisemitic acts and political violence, including the recent shooting of two Israel Embassy staffers in Washington, D.C., prompting heightened security at the ICC event.
ICC CEO Jacob Baime emphasized that pro-Gaza protests are ‘highly professionalized, highly organized, well-funded operations’ and that the coalition aims to match that level of coordination to counter such efforts. Murray and other Israel supporters argue that the recent actions by political figures like Khan and Mamdani reflect a growing trend of international officials making misguided statements about a complex geopolitical issue, rather than focusing on local governance and economic challenges.