Israelis Alarmed Over Democratic Party’s Leftward Shift as Mamdani Vies for NYC Mayoral Post
The candidate’s rhetoric on Gaza and refusal to reject calls to “globalize the intifada” have become a flashpoint in Israel’s relationship with US Democrats
Zohran Mamdani, an assemblyman and rising figure in New York politics, has drawn sharp attention and concern from pro-Israel circles as he emerges as the Democratic nominee in New York City’s mayoral race. His candidacy reflects a significant shift in how Democrats view the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Mamdani has described Israel’s military campaign against Hamas in Gaza as “genocide” and has refused to denounce the controversial call to “globalize the intifada,” a phrase that critics—including many in the Jewish community—interpret as incitement to violence against Jews worldwide. Supporters argue the slogan expresses solidarity with the Palestinian cause rather than advocating violence, though past Palestinian intifadas have been deadly campaigns against Israelis.
According to Dr. Avishay Ben Sasson-Gordis, a scholar-in-residence at the Ruderman Family Foundation and senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies, Mamdani’s rise is both a unique case and symbolic of broader change.
“While a specific set of circumstances helped him reach the finish line, such a win five years ago would not have been possible,” Ben Sasson-Gordis told The Media Line.
His candidacy is part of a broader realignment within the Democratic Party, where long-standing support for Israel is being challenged by a progressive wing pushing for a fundamental shift in US policy on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Israel cannot boycott Mamdani or similar figures
“Israel cannot boycott Mamdani or similar figures,” said Ben Sasson-Gordis. “Mamdani has made some really concerning comments, but Israel’s challenge won’t be solved simply by labeling someone antisemitic. Israel needs to understand that it will be seeing more people like him in decision-making positions.”
For Israel, which has long relied on bipartisan support in the US, the growing divide within the Democratic Party suggests it must reevaluate its diplomatic strategy for a changing American political landscape.
If elected, Mamdani would become the first Muslim mayor of a major American city—a historic milestone that also reflects the evolving demographics and political priorities of the Democratic base.
This is another peg that is being hammered into a long list of candidates, resolutions, ordinances, and politicians that stink of anti-Israeli and antisemitic undertones
“This is another peg that is being hammered into a long list of candidates, resolutions, ordinances, and politicians that stink of anti-Israeli and antisemitic undertones,” Ethan Kushner, chair of American Democrats in Israel, told The Media Line. “In a high-profile city such as New York, this is now coming to a boiling point.”
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There are also concerns within the Democratic Party about the broader implications of this shift.
What is happening now should sound warning levels, and this is a trend that needs to be addressed
“What is happening now should sound warning levels, and this is a trend that needs to be addressed,” Kushner continued. “This is not just happening on a national level, but is happening all the way down to school districts … that have the ability to sanction materials on Middle Eastern history. This is not just about voting in Congress for an aid package for Israel.”
During the war in Gaza, the progressive wing of the Democratic Party has taken an openly critical stance toward Israel. Participation in anti-Israel protests, support for divestment efforts, and calls for an informal arms embargo have all deepened tensions between progressives and Israel.
The Democratic administration led by President Joe Biden publicly backed Israel’s right to self-defense following the Hamas attack in October 2023. The administration expedited more than $17 billion in military aid but also urged Israel—both privately and occasionally publicly—to reduce civilian casualties and agree to pauses or ceasefires. At one point, the US temporarily paused shipments of heavy bombs.
Previous Democratic administrations have also experienced strains with Israel. During Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s confrontations with President Barack Obama, a series of high-profile disagreements led to a deterioration in personal relations that spilled over into broader diplomatic tensions. Many analysts believe this caused lasting damage between Netanyahu and the Democratic Party.
“Israel has a lot of reckoning to do about how it deals with bipartisan support,” said Kushner. “Israel shouldn’t ever be a partisan issue in the US, and the US shouldn’t ever be a partisan issue in Israel. In recent years in Israel, it has increasingly become a divide about Democrats being bad for Israel and Republicans being good; history shows differently.”
The most controversial episode came in 2015 when Netanyahu addressed Congress about the Iranian nuclear deal after receiving an invitation from Republicans, bypassing the American president and breaching diplomatic protocol.
“Netanyahu’s decision to make the address is something that has yet to be forgiven or forgotten in the Democratic Party,” said Ben Sasson-Gordis. “It was seen as an illegitimate intervention in domestic politics.”
At the root of this political transformation is a generational and demographic shift reshaping both the US electorate and the Democratic Party. Younger and more diverse voters tend to view the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through a human rights lens, challenging the decades-old bipartisan consensus that saw support for Israel as a central US interest.
“People’s memory of Israel is no longer that of a weak country, one that rose on the ruins of the Holocaust,” Ben Sasson-Gordis explained. “On the contrary, for the Democratic Party, which is very much associated with civil rights struggles, Israel is perceived as being on the wrong side of history.”
Within Democratic ranks, criticism of Israel’s military campaign, high Palestinian civilian casualties, and the lack of a clear postwar strategy have grown louder.
“The most vivid memory for youngsters now is Israel’s war in Gaza, where Israel is seen as using force against victims of oppression,” Ben Sasson-Gordis added.
Netanyahu has led Israel since 2022, after previously serving as prime minister from 1996 to 1999 and from 2009 to 2021. He has aligned closely with the Republican Party, a strategy that could eventually backfire. Netanyahu has portrayed himself as a central figure in US politics and emphasized strong relationships with Republican leaders.
Now heading Israel’s most right-wing coalition in history and governing in the shadow of a devastating war, Netanyahu and his political allies reject any negotiations with the Palestinians and dismiss the idea of an independent Palestinian state. This stance has deepened the estrangement between many Democrats and Israel.
“If it’s important for Israel to project unwavering power coupled with unwillingness to compromise, there will be few opportunities to reach out to these audiences,” said Ben Sasson-Gordis. “But if Israel proclaims its hand is extended for peace, this could be beneficial.”
The political and demographic changes underway in the US are incremental but consequential.
“Israel hasn’t lost the Democratic Party yet,” said Kushner. “But it needs to recognize the fact that in politics, you are down once, and then it’s your turn to bat next. In the midterm elections or the next presidential election, there may be a Democratic president or a Democratic majority. Israel needs to be very cognizant of that fact. There is no other country in the world other than the US that consistently has Israel’s back.”
Even within the Republican Party, there are divisions on foreign policy and Israel. A growing bloc of isolationist lawmakers prefers limited US involvement in Israel’s ongoing conflicts.
[Israel] doesn’t have the privilege of choosing one side
“Israel needs to be able to work with both parties,” Ben Sasson-Gordis said. “Even if right now it seems like Israel is getting what it wants, it doesn’t have the privilege of choosing one side.”
