Mamdani says he wouldn't use ‘globalize the intifada' term: Reports
Mamdani, a state Assembly member who pulled off an upset victory to win the Democratic primary for mayor, has received significant criticism over the past month for comments he made during an interview in which he avoided condemning the phrase that has been a lightning rod throughout much of the Israel-Hamas war.
In June, he said the phrase can have different meanings to different people, and he hears from the phrase a 'desperate desire for equality and equal rights in standing up for Palestinian human rights.' He has also said he wouldn't use the term itself, and no instances have come to light of Mamdani using it.
But three people familiar with Mamdani's comments in front of a group of business leaders on Tuesday told The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal that he said he wouldn't use it and doesn't believe others should use it either. The outlet reported the meeting included 150 executives at a closed-door event hosted by the Partnership for New York, a group of members representing banks, law firms and corporations.
The phrase has received widespread attention since Hamas's Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel that killed nearly 1,200 people. Pro-Palestinian activists have maintained the phrase only refers to liberation for Palestinians to have the right to their own state and doesn't endorse calls for violence.
Meanwhile, pro-Israel supporters and many Jews recall the first and second intifadas that took place in Israel in the 1980s and 2000s in which Palestinians engaged in protests against Israeli occupation. Some were peaceful while others weren't, and many people died on both sides.
Mamdani told those in attendance on Tuesday that some see the term as expressing solidarity with Palestinians, but others view it as calling for violence against Israel, the Times reported.
The Hill has reached out to Mamdani's campaign for comment.
Mamdani's comments come as he tries to coalesce support as the Democratic nominee. He hasn't yet received endorsements from top New York Democrats, like House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand. All of them have been critical of Mamdani's defense of the term and called for him to reassure Jewish New Yorkers that he will represent them too.
Mamdani is taking part in a breakfast on Wednesday in Washington with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and is expected to meet with Jeffries this week.
The Democratic nominee is facing a multi-candidate field in the general election, including former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, whom he defeated in the primary. Cuomo announced Monday that he is running as an independent, alongside Mayor Eric Adams who's also running as an independent, Republican Curtis Sliwa and independent Jim Walden.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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