Latest news with #JewishDemocrats
CNN
2 days ago
- Politics
- CNN
North Carolina's Democratic Party passes resolution calling for arms embargo on Israel. Many state leaders have stayed silent
When the executive committee of North Carolina's Democratic Party passed a resolution in June calling for an immediate arms embargo on Israel, it set off another episode in the party's ongoing struggles with how it addresses the Israel-Hamas war. Some Jewish Democrats in North Carolina said the resolution was consistent with their support of Palestinian human rights while others characterized it as divisive. The resolution's backers are talking to Democrats in other states who want to take the same stand. And top state leaders – notably the party chair and North Carolina's Democratic governor – have declined to comment. The Israel-Hamas war still divides the party as it did before the November election, when Democratic nominee Kamala Harris faced protests and boycott threats from parts of the base before eventually losing to President Donald Trump. In North Carolina, where Sen. Thom Tillis' retirement opened an opportunity for Democrats to flip a Republican-held seat, some in the party are worried the disunity will make it harder to compete in a race they almost certainly have to win next year to regain Senate control. 'This is an issue that's going to divide Democrats at a time when Democrats need to be working together on the issues that voters actually care about, the kitchen table issues,' said Kathy Manning, who chairs the Board of Directors for the advocacy group Democratic Majority for Israel. Alan Smith, a lead sponsor of the resolution and a member of the state party's progressive caucus, sees it differently. Passing the resolution, he argues, shows the party is responsive to the will of Democratic voters. 'I think it's only going to help the Democratic Party. It's going to get people to come back,' Smith said. According to a May survey from the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, Democrats younger than 45 are far less likely than their older partisan peers to favor the US supporting Israel militarily, with only 38% saying they favor military support until the hostages are returned, compared with 48% support among older Democrats. Disputes over the war have shaped other Democratic races, notably the New York mayoral primary, where Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist and strident critic of Israel, scored an upset victory despite criticism from some Jewish groups that he hadn't sufficiently denounced antisemitism. And in Michigan, where Democrats hope to retain control of an open Senate seat next year, the main candidates in the primary have taken sharply different positions on the war. Trump flipped Michigan in 2024 in part by capitalizing on anger in both Jewish and Arab American communities. Though other Democratic state parties, in Wisconsin and Washington, have recently passed resolutions critical of Israel since the country launched its war against Hamas following the Oct. 7, 2023, attack, the language passed by North Carolina Democrats is the only example that explicitly calls for an embargo on military aid and weapons transfers and accuses the state of committing genocide and apartheid. 'The military resources that have been made available to Israel through annual and emergency military aid have been used to commit the crime of genocide and other war crimes in Gaza,' it reads. 'The North Carolina Democratic Party supports an immediate embargo on all military aid, weapons shipments and military logistical support to Israel,' it continues. The resolution also won the support of NCDP's African American Caucus, the Arab Caucus, the LGBTQ+ Caucus, the Association of Teen Democrats, the Jewish Democrats and various other groups within the state party. Israel rejects claims that its war against Hamas, which killed 1,200 people in the Oct. 7 attack and still holds Israeli hostages, constitutes a genocide. It also rejects allegations that its treatment of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank is akin to apartheid. Earlier this month the Gaza Health Ministry reported the Palestinian death toll had passed 58,000, with the most recent rounds of casualties taking place near food distribution sites. Manning says Democratic Majority for Israel is in conversations with Democratic voters across the state and helping them to make their displeasure with the resolution known to state party leadership. The resolution's advocates worked over a multiyear process to get the statement passed, starting at the local precinct level, on to the county convention, then through the congressional district convention, the platform resolutions committee and ultimately the party's state executive committee. 'We see it as an issue of unity and an issue that is local, because we want taxpayer dollars to be invested here, and we believe that speaking up for human lives, including Palestinian lives, is actually a local issue and is a reminder that when grassroots groups come together, that they can accomplish the things that they wish to see within their party,' said Reem Subei, chair of the party's Arab Caucus. Since the resolution's passage, Subei says those engaged with their state-level executive committees have reached out to her asking how they could mirror this effort, including organizers in Texas, Oklahoma and Minnesota. Lisa Jewel, president of the state Democratic party's Jewish Caucus, condemned the resolution as divisive and leaned on leadership to block the effort. 'Our leadership needs to call these extremists out. They need to take a strong stand against antisemitism. By placating these extremists, it helps raise the drum beat that leads to violence,' said Jewel, arguing that state Democrats should be focused on cuts to Medicare and Medicaid, women's reproductive health, the cost of housing, gerrymandering, and other consensus-driven issues. She also voiced fear in the wake of threats against her own synagogue. The Jewish Caucus was created last year in response to what Jewel described as growing antisemitism in the Democratic party and across North Carolina. This is not to be confused with the state party's Jewish Democrats, a separate group that supported the resolution. For a long time, party leadership resisted religious groups creating their own caucuses and wanted the groups to all fall within the Interfaith Caucus out of fear of these very types of disputes, but Jewel says some Jews did not feel welcome in the interfaith group and insisted they would go out on their own. 'It is not feasible for us to disconnect our Judaism from Israel, regardless of the politics that are happening there. It's just part of who we are,' said Jewel. Mark Bochkis, who leads communications for the Jewish Democrats, said he moved to Greensboro as a child from the former Soviet Union and that his extended family lives in Israel. 'We have to take a look at what wins statewide, and we cannot ignore the will of Democratic voters or their values. And their values right now are saying we care about Palestinian human rights,' Bochkis said. 'This is the new North Carolina Democratic Party. This is the way forward. I think the Jewish Caucus represents kind of a view that we're moving past,' he added. The next flashpoint will be if or when the resolution is ultimately adopted into the party platform. Its supporters believe they have cleared all the necessary procedural hurdles and that it will eventually be a part of the party's mission statement, but its opponents argue party leadership can still block that from happening. The timeline for when the platform will be voted on is unclear. There is no readily available record of who supported the measure and no video or even mention of the proceeding on the state Democratic Party's website, though proponents of the resolution say it passed 161-151. According to people who attended the vote, party chair Anderson Clayton and other party officers abstained. Clayton has not commented publicly in local press in the weeks since the resolution passed and declined to speak to CNN. Gov. Josh Stein, the state's first Jewish governor, and his predecessor, Roy Cooper, who many state and national Democrats are pushing to run for Tillis' open Senate seat, also declined requests for comment. An adviser to Cooper told CNN that he generally does not opine on party resolutions. Former US Rep. Wiley Nickel, who is already running for Tillis' seat, dismissed the resolution as one-sided but also criticized the Trump administration and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. 'In an issue as complex as this, nuance is essential, and that's something politics often overlooks. You can look at my record and see I'm a staunch supporter of Israel as a key U.S. ally, but I also care deeply about the suffering of innocent civilians in Gaza. The current approach by Trump and Netanyahu is not leading us toward peace or a two-state solution. Instead, their policies are fueling division and perpetuating violence, making a two-state solution seem more out of reach than ever,' said Nickel in a statement to CNN. And Rep. Don Davis, a Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee who could also mount a Senate run, reaffirmed his commitment to Israel as an ally of the United States. 'I believe that providing support to our allies, including Israel, is essential in our commitment to countering the threats posed by the Iranian regime and its associated terrorist proxies,' said Davis in a statement to CNN. The headline of this story has been updated.
Egypt Independent
2 days ago
- Politics
- Egypt Independent
A party resolution accusing Israel of genocide divides Democrats in a key swing state
CNN — When the executive committee of North Carolina's Democratic Party passed a resolution in June calling for an immediate arms embargo on Israel, it set off another episode in the party's ongoing struggles with how it addresses the Israel-Hamas war. Some Jewish Democrats in North Carolina said the resolution was consistent with their support of Palestinian human rights while others characterized it as divisive. The resolution's backers are talking to Democrats in other states who want to take the same stand. And top state leaders – notably the party chair and North Carolina's Democratic governor – have declined to comment. The Israel-Hamas war still divides the party as it did before the November election, when Democratic nominee Kamala Harris faced protests and boycott threats from parts of the base before eventually losing to President Donald Trump. In North Carolina, where Sen. Thom Tillis' retirement opened an opportunity for Democrats to flip a Republican-held seat, some in the party are worried the disunity will make it harder to compete in a race they almost certainly have to win next year to regain Senate control. Sen. Thom Tillis listens during a Senate Judiciary Hearing on June 18 in Washington, DC.'This is an issue that's going to divide Democrats at a time when Democrats need to be working together on the issues that voters actually care about, the kitchen table issues,' said Kathy Manning, who chairs the Board of Directors for the advocacy group Democratic Majority for Israel. Alan Smith, a lead sponsor of the resolution and a member of the state party's progressive caucus, sees it differently. Passing the resolution, he argues, shows the party is responsive to the will of Democratic voters. 'I think it's only going to help the Democratic Party. It's going to get people to come back,' Smith said. According to a May survey from the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, Democrats younger than 45 are far less likely than their older partisan peers to favor the US supporting Israel militarily, with only 38% saying they favor military support until the hostages are returned, compared with 48% support among older Democrats. Disputes over the war have shaped other Democratic races, notably the New York mayoral primary, where Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist and strident critic of Israel, scored an upset victory despite criticism from some Jewish groups that he hadn't sufficiently denounced antisemitism. And in Michigan, where Democrats hope to retain control of an open Senate seat next year, the main candidates in the primary have taken sharply different positions on the war. Trump flipped Michigan in 2024 in part by capitalizing on anger in both Jewish and Arab American communities. How the resolution passed Though other Democratic state parties, in Wisconsin and Washington, have recently passed resolutions critical of Israel since the country launched its war against Hamas following the Oct. 7, 2023, attack, the language passed by North Carolina Democrats is the only example that explicitly calls for an embargo on military aid and weapons transfers and accuses the state of committing genocide and apartheid. 'The military resources that have been made available to Israel through annual and emergency military aid have been used to commit the crime of genocide and other war crimes in Gaza,' it reads. 'The North Carolina Democratic Party supports an immediate embargo on all military aid, weapons shipments and military logistical support to Israel,' it continues. The resolution also won the support of NCDP's African American Caucus, the Arab Caucus, the LGBTQ+ Caucus, the Association of Teen Democrats, the Jewish Democrats and various other groups within the state party. Israel rejects claims that its war against Hamas, which killed 1,200 people in the Oct. 7 attack and still holds Israeli hostages, constitutes a genocide. It also rejects allegations that its treatment of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank is akin to apartheid. Earlier this month the Gaza Health Ministry reported the Palestinian death toll had passed 58,000, with the most recent rounds of casualties taking place near food distribution sites. Lightning strikes over Gaza City following an Israeli bombardment on October 9, 2023. Mohammed Abed/AFP/Getty Images Manning says Democratic Majority for Israel is in conversations with Democratic voters across the state and helping them to make their displeasure with the resolution known to state party leadership. The resolution's advocates worked over a multiyear process to get the statement passed, starting at the local precinct level, on to the county convention, then through the congressional district convention, the platform resolutions committee and ultimately the party's state executive committee. 'We see it as an issue of unity and an issue that is local, because we want taxpayer dollars to be invested here, and we believe that speaking up for human lives, including Palestinian lives, is actually a local issue and is a reminder that when grassroots groups come together, that they can accomplish the things that they wish to see within their party,' said Reem Subei, chair of the party's Arab Caucus. Since the resolution's passage, Subei says those engaged with their state-level executive committees have reached out to her asking how they could mirror this effort, including organizers in Texas, Oklahoma and Minnesota. Lisa Jewel, president of the state Democratic party's Jewish Caucus, condemned the resolution as divisive and leaned on leadership to block the effort. 'Our leadership needs to call these extremists out. They need to take a strong stand against antisemitism. By placating these extremists, it helps raise the drum beat that leads to violence,' said Jewel, arguing that state Democrats should be focused on cuts to Medicare and Medicaid, women's reproductive health, the cost of housing, gerrymandering, and other consensus-driven issues. She also voiced fear in the wake of threats against her own synagogue. The Jewish Caucus was created last year in response to what Jewel described as growing antisemitism in the Democratic party and across North Carolina. This is not to be confused with the state party's Jewish Democrats, a separate group that supported the resolution. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrives for a meeting at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on July 9. Alex Wroblewski/AFP/Getty Images For a long time, party leadership resisted religious groups creating their own caucuses and wanted the groups to all fall within the Interfaith Caucus out of fear of these very types of disputes, but Jewel says some Jews did not feel welcome in the interfaith group and insisted they would go out on their own. 'It is not feasible for us to disconnect our Judaism from Israel, regardless of the politics that are happening there. It's just part of who we are,' said Jewel. Mark Bochkis, who leads communications for the Jewish Democrats, said he moved to Greensboro as a child from the former Soviet Union and that his extended family lives in Israel. 'We have to take a look at what wins statewide, and we cannot ignore the will of Democratic voters or their values. And their values right now are saying we care about Palestinian human rights,' Bochkis said. 'This is the new North Carolina Democratic Party. This is the way forward. I think the Jewish Caucus represents kind of a view that we're moving past,' he added. The next flashpoint will be if or when the resolution is ultimately adopted into the party platform. Its supporters believe they have cleared all the necessary procedural hurdles and that it will eventually be a part of the party's mission statement, but its opponents argue party leadership can still block that from happening. The timeline for when the platform will be voted on is unclear. Many state party leaders have stayed silent There is no readily available record of who supported the measure and no video or even mention of the proceeding on the state Democratic Party's website, though proponents of the resolution say it passed 161-151. According to people who attended the vote, party chair Anderson Clayton and other party officers abstained. Clayton has not commented publicly in local press in the weeks since the resolution passed and declined to speak to CNN. Gov. Josh Stein, the state's first Jewish governor, and his predecessor, Roy Cooper, who many state and national Democrats are pushing to run for Tillis' open Senate seat, also declined requests for comment. An adviser to Cooper told CNN that he generally does not opine on party resolutions. Former US Rep. Wiley Nickel speaks to a crowd after winning the Democratic primary for the 13th congressional district of North Carolina on May 17, 2022, in Raleigh, North US Rep. Wiley Nickel, who is already running for Tillis' seat, dismissed the resolution as one-sided but also criticized the Trump administration and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. 'In an issue as complex as this, nuance is essential, and that's something politics often overlooks. You can look at my record and see I'm a staunch supporter of Israel as a key U.S. ally, but I also care deeply about the suffering of innocent civilians in Gaza. The current approach by Trump and Netanyahu is not leading us toward peace or a two-state solution. Instead, their policies are fueling division and perpetuating violence, making a two-state solution seem more out of reach than ever,' said Nickel in a statement to CNN. And Rep. Don Davis, a Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee who could also mount a Senate run, reaffirmed his commitment to Israel as an ally of the United States. 'I believe that providing support to our allies, including Israel, is essential in our commitment to countering the threats posed by the Iranian regime and its associated terrorist proxies,' said Davis in a statement to CNN.
CNN
3 days ago
- Politics
- CNN
A party resolution accusing Israel of genocide divides Democrats in a key swing state
When the executive committee of North Carolina's Democratic Party passed a resolution in June calling for an immediate arms embargo on Israel, it set off another episode in the party's ongoing struggles with how it addresses the Israel-Hamas war. Some Jewish Democrats in North Carolina said the resolution was consistent with their support of Palestinian human rights while others characterized it as divisive. The resolution's backers are talking to Democrats in other states who want to take the same stand. And top state leaders – notably the party chair and North Carolina's Democratic governor – have declined to comment. The Israel-Hamas war still divides the party as it did before the November election, when Democratic nominee Kamala Harris faced protests and boycott threats from parts of the base before eventually losing to President Donald Trump. In North Carolina, where Sen. Thom Tillis' retirement opened an opportunity for Democrats to flip a Republican-held seat, some in the party are worried the disunity will make it harder to compete in a race they almost certainly have to win next year to regain Senate control. 'This is an issue that's going to divide Democrats at a time when Democrats need to be working together on the issues that voters actually care about, the kitchen table issues,' said Kathy Manning, who chairs the Board of Directors for the advocacy group Democratic Majority for Israel. Alan Smith, a lead sponsor of the resolution and a member of the state party's progressive caucus, sees it differently. Passing the resolution, he argues, shows the party is responsive to the will of Democratic voters. 'I think it's only going to help the Democratic Party. It's going to get people to come back,' Smith said. According to a May survey from the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, Democrats younger than 45 are far less likely than their older partisan peers to favor the US supporting Israel militarily, with only 38% saying they favor military support until the hostages are returned, compared with 48% support among older Democrats. Disputes over the war have shaped other Democratic races, notably the New York mayoral primary, where Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist and strident critic of Israel, scored an upset victory despite criticism from some Jewish groups that he hadn't sufficiently denounced antisemitism. And in Michigan, where Democrats hope to retain control of an open Senate seat next year, the main candidates in the primary have taken sharply different positions on the war. Trump flipped Michigan in 2024 in part by capitalizing on anger in both Jewish and Arab American communities. Though other Democratic state parties, in Wisconsin and Washington, have recently passed resolutions critical of Israel since the country launched its war against Hamas following the Oct. 7, 2023, attack, the language passed by North Carolina Democrats is the only example that explicitly calls for an embargo on military aid and weapons transfers and accuses the state of committing genocide and apartheid. 'The military resources that have been made available to Israel through annual and emergency military aid have been used to commit the crime of genocide and other war crimes in Gaza,' it reads. 'The North Carolina Democratic Party supports an immediate embargo on all military aid, weapons shipments and military logistical support to Israel,' it continues. The resolution also won the support of NCDP's African American Caucus, the Arab Caucus, the LGBTQ+ Caucus, the Association of Teen Democrats, the Jewish Democrats and various other groups within the state party. Israel rejects claims that its war against Hamas, which killed 1,200 people in the Oct. 7 attack and still holds Israeli hostages, constitutes a genocide. It also rejects allegations that its treatment of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank is akin to apartheid. Earlier this month the Gaza Health Ministry reported the Palestinian death toll had passed 58,000, with the most recent rounds of casualties taking place near food distribution sites. Manning says Democratic Majority for Israel is in conversations with Democratic voters across the state and helping them to make their displeasure with the resolution known to state party leadership. The resolution's advocates worked over a multiyear process to get the statement passed, starting at the local precinct level, on to the county convention, then through the congressional district convention, the platform resolutions committee and ultimately the party's state executive committee. 'We see it as an issue of unity and an issue that is local, because we want taxpayer dollars to be invested here, and we believe that speaking up for human lives, including Palestinian lives, is actually a local issue and is a reminder that when grassroots groups come together, that they can accomplish the things that they wish to see within their party,' said Reem Subei, chair of the party's Arab Caucus. Since the resolution's passage, Subei says those engaged with their state-level executive committees have reached out to her asking how they could mirror this effort, including organizers in Texas, Oklahoma and Minnesota. Lisa Jewel, president of the state Democratic party's Jewish Caucus, condemned the resolution as divisive and leaned on leadership to block the effort. 'Our leadership needs to call these extremists out. They need to take a strong stand against antisemitism. By placating these extremists, it helps raise the drum beat that leads to violence,' said Jewel, arguing that state Democrats should be focused on cuts to Medicare and Medicaid, women's reproductive health, the cost of housing, gerrymandering, and other consensus-driven issues. She also voiced fear in the wake of threats against her own synagogue. The Jewish Caucus was created last year in response to what Jewel described as growing antisemitism in the Democratic party and across North Carolina. This is not to be confused with the state party's Jewish Democrats, a separate group that supported the resolution. For a long time, party leadership resisted religious groups creating their own caucuses and wanted the groups to all fall within the Interfaith Caucus out of fear of these very types of disputes, but Jewel says some Jews did not feel welcome in the interfaith group and insisted they would go out on their own. 'It is not feasible for us to disconnect our Judaism from Israel, regardless of the politics that are happening there. It's just part of who we are,' said Jewel. Mark Bochkis, who leads communications for the Jewish Democrats, said he moved to Greensboro as a child from the former Soviet Union and that his extended family lives in Israel. 'We have to take a look at what wins statewide, and we cannot ignore the will of Democratic voters or their values. And their values right now are saying we care about Palestinian human rights,' Bochkis said. 'This is the new North Carolina Democratic Party. This is the way forward. I think the Jewish Caucus represents kind of a view that we're moving past,' he added. The next flashpoint will be if or when the resolution is ultimately adopted into the party platform. Its supporters believe they have cleared all the necessary procedural hurdles and that it will eventually be a part of the party's mission statement, but its opponents argue party leadership can still block that from happening. The timeline for when the platform will be voted on is unclear. There is no readily available record of who supported the measure and no video or even mention of the proceeding on the state Democratic Party's website, though proponents of the resolution say it passed 161-151. According to people who attended the vote, party chair Anderson Clayton and other party officers abstained. Clayton has not commented publicly in local press in the weeks since the resolution passed and declined to speak to CNN. Gov. Josh Stein, the state's first Jewish governor, and his predecessor, Roy Cooper, who many state and national Democrats are pushing to run for Tillis' open Senate seat, also declined requests for comment. An adviser to Cooper told CNN that he generally does not opine on party resolutions. Former US Rep. Wiley Nickel, who is already running for Tillis' seat, dismissed the resolution as one-sided but also criticized the Trump administration and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. 'In an issue as complex as this, nuance is essential, and that's something politics often overlooks. You can look at my record and see I'm a staunch supporter of Israel as a key U.S. ally, but I also care deeply about the suffering of innocent civilians in Gaza. The current approach by Trump and Netanyahu is not leading us toward peace or a two-state solution. Instead, their policies are fueling division and perpetuating violence, making a two-state solution seem more out of reach than ever,' said Nickel in a statement to CNN. And Rep. Don Davis, a Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee who could also mount a Senate run, reaffirmed his commitment to Israel as an ally of the United States. 'I believe that providing support to our allies, including Israel, is essential in our commitment to countering the threats posed by the Iranian regime and its associated terrorist proxies,' said Davis in a statement to CNN.
New York Post
11-07-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
Outrageous advocacy for antisemitic Zohran: Letters to the Editor — July 12, 2025
The Issue: Support for antisemitic New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani. Zohran Mamdani has managed to insult multiple groups with long ties to New York City (' 'Zoh way he's not a problem,' ' July 10). Most recently, Italians were insulted by the 'candidate of all the people.' This followed numerous insults against Israel and the Jewish community. What hope does this guy offer for a united New York? It is most disturbing that many Democratic elected officials are either endorsing him or reinterpreting his bigoted remarks. Yakov Moshe Brooklyn New York City is getting ready to elect an antisemitic mayor while rabbis and Jewish politicians refuse to speak out. If Mamdani is elected, this city will be a disgrace. Meanwhile, Mayor Adams and candidates Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa are willing to sacrifice the city for their own egos rather than getting together and supporting one person to go against Mamdani. None of these men deserve respect for allowing this city to fall into the abyss. The Democratic Socialists have to be stopped; two of the others need to drop out. Mindy Rader New City As Carl Campanile points out, even Jewish Democrats are worried about a victory for this lowlife. Recent polling indicates he has a 10-point lead over Cuomo and a higher lead over Adams. It has to be possible that someone or some group could be put together to try to get Adams to drop out and support Cuomo. He has no chance of winning, but his legacy could be that he saved our city by standing on the sidelines. History will record it and New York City will forever be grateful. Rob Feuerstein Staten Island It is both inconceivable and outrageous that any Jewish politician or community leader could have considered supporting Zohran Mamdani for even a second. His primary victory should have sent shock waves and prompted condemnation by any self-respecting member of the Jewish political community. But after this debacle has shaken rational New Yorkers to the quick, we have a substantial number of Jewish politicians either endorsing the mini-monster or, even worse, pleading with him to retract or explain just one of his many anti-Israel statements. Mitchell Schwefel Barnegat, NJ If Mamdani wins, New York City will descend into chaos with rising crime and antisemitism and eventually see an economic collapse — but New York's pols will jump ship before then. If you were hoping the city, state and federal politicians would find their backbones and join together to stop the catastrophe that will ensue if Mamdani wins the mayoralty, you'd be wrong. I'd call them all cowards, but cowardice doesn't quite do service to their perfidy. Steve Heitner Middle Island Most nations would give mayoral candidate Zohran Mandani a one-way ticket to Siberia. He is a Trojan Horse —a seemingly wonderful gift to New York City's poor, but filled with hate and the chaos of the radical far-left. Who funds such a candidate? Donathan Salkaln Manhattan The fact that Mamdani could possibly be the next mayor of New York City is terrifying. His antisemitism is outrageous, and he will act out and express it all around the city. He will drive out all the large taxpayers and the city will end up in bankruptcy, a shell of what it was. Residents, especially Jewish residents, will leave in flocks to Florida. Stewart Levine Palm Beach, Fla. Every day we are given another example of why Mamdani should not be elected mayor. In addition to his pipe-dream plans and his extreme antisemitic and anti-American statements, he espouses division, not unity. Imagine such an individual participating in the traditional parades or welcoming various heads of state whom he despises. His election would be the result of voter ignorance and voter apathy. Zohran is not good for New York City and certainly not good for America. Jerry Chiappetta Monticello Want to weigh in on today's stories? Send your thoughts (along with your full name and city of residence) to letters@ Letters are subject to editing for clarity, length, accuracy, and style.
New York Post
11-07-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
DNC chair dismisses Zohran Mamdani's refusal to condemn ‘intifada' chants: ‘We are a big tent party'
Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin brushed off concerns from Jewish Democrats on Wednesday about New York City mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani's refusal to condemn the slogan 'globalize the intifada.' Martin, elected to lead the DNC in February, suggested that his party welcomes users of the chant associated with violent uprisings against Israel, in an interview with PBS. 'You know, there's no candidate in this party that I agree 100% of the time with, to be honest with you,' Martin said, when asked by 'PBS NewsHour' host Amna Nawaz about Mamdani's repeated defense of the rallying cry for anti-Israel protesters. 3 Zohran Mamdani speaks at a 'Within Our Lifetime Palestine Protest' in front of a sign calling for an 'Intifada revolution' on May 12, 2021. Instagram/@zohrankmamdani 'There's things that I don't agree with Mamdani that he said, but at the end of the day, I always believe, as a Democratic Party chair in Minnesota for the last 14 years and now the chair of the DNC, that you win through addition, you win by bringing people into your coalition,' he continued. 'We have conservative Democrats, we have centrist Democrats, we have labor progressives like me and we have this new brand of Democrat, which is the leftists, and we win by bringing people into that coalition.' 'At the end of the day, for me, that's the type of party we're going to lead. We are a big tent party.' Mamdani, an outspoken critic of Israel, has both awkwardly defended activists' use of 'globalize the intifada' and has flat-out refused to condemn it on several occasions. The Queens assemblyman described the chant as an adage that reflects the 'desperate desire for equality and equal rights in standing up for Palestinian human rights,' in an interview with the Bulwark last month that went viral. Mamdani later repeatedly refused to condemn the slogan, viewed by some as a call for violence against Jews, in an interview on NBC's 'Meet the Press.' 'That's not language that I use. The language that I use and the language that I will continue to use to lead this city is that which speaks clearly to my intent, which is an intent grounded in a belief in universal human rights,' he told host Kristen Welker on June 29. 3 DNC Chair Ken Martin is interviewed during PBS Newshour on July 10, 2025. PBS NewsHour 3 Zohran Mamdani at the United Palace in New York on July 10, 2025. Matthew McDermott 'I don't believe that the role of the mayor is to police speech in that manner.' Some Democrats, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), have called on the socialist Democratic nominee to clarify his position on the slogan. If elected, Mamdani would become the first Muslim mayor of New York City.
