Antisemitism Watchdog Issues Scathing ‘Alarm Bell’ Report On Mamdani As NYC Election Nears
Just hours before voters head to the polls, a new report by the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy (ISGAP) is drawing intense scrutiny to socialist mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani’s ideological record and associations. The in-depth analysis, titled “Zohran Mamdani: From SJP to Gracie Mansion?”, was released by ISGAP Action and reviewed exclusively by Fox News Digital.
“It is incumbent on voters to understand the ideological context that Zohran Mamdani comes from and espouses,” said Charles Asher Small, ISGAP’s founding director, in an interview with Fox News Digital.
The report delves into Mamdani’s political and personal background, tracing his path from founding a Students for Justice in Palestine chapter at Bowdoin College to becoming a leading figure of the radical left in New York politics. It highlights his father’s controversial academic work at Columbia University and compiles his history of inflammatory remarks, including a list of anti-Israel activists and organizations now backing his mayoral campaign.
The authors accuse Mamdani of repeatedly refusing to denounce the violent slogan “globalize the intifada.” The report notes that “He has repeatedly declined to condemn the slogan ‘globalize the intifada,’ ignoring the fact that the word ‘intifada’ is synonymous with terror attacks, suicide bombings, and incitement to kill Jews.” Rather than condemning the phrase, Mamdani merely said he would “discourage” others from using it.
ISGAP also faults Mamdani for what it describes as his minimization of Hamas’ October 7 atrocities while labeling Israel’s defensive actions “genocide.” It criticizes his proposal to target New York-based charities that aid Israel, calling it a punitive and discriminatory measure.
One of the most controversial episodes cited in the report is Mamdani’s smiling photo alongside Imam Siraj Wahhaj — a cleric who defended the mastermind of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and has supported the legal defense of convicted terrorists. The image ignited backlash from law enforcement and political leaders alike.
The investigation further references financial links between Mamdani’s campaign and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). According to the report, Mamdani accepted a $100,000 super PAC contribution tied to CAIR “despite being named as an unindicted co-conspirator in the Holy Land Foundation terror-financing trial.”
“The normalization of antisemitism and anti-democratic rhetoric is now mainstream,” Small warned. “The radical left, the extreme right and radical political Islam are attacking the democratic center, and these different political movements use antisemitism as a core element of their ideology, to scapegoat and blame the Jews for all that is wrong. It is essential to understand that words and ideas lead to action. The antisemitic discourse of Mamdani will inevitably lead to increased hate and violence.”
Last month, hundreds of rabbis issued a public letter urging voters to reject Mamdani, declaring that Jewish Americans “cannot remain silent” as open hostility toward Jews becomes normalized in political discourse.
Still, Mamdani remains the frontrunner in the mayoral race, buoyed by strong support among younger voters and some progressive Jewish figures. Despite widespread criticism and multiple viral clips showcasing his anti-Israel statements, polls suggest he is on the verge of victory.
“There are significant levels of economic, social and political marginalization in New York and throughout the nation,” Small explained. “People are frustrated as their needs are not being met. In stressful times, populism and extremism become more appealing. Mamdani appears to be addressing the disenfranchised, especially the young. He gives fantastical policies that are appealing, yet will be impossible to deliver.”
In its final analysis, ISGAP Action warns that electing Mamdani could “shatter the city’s fragile communal trust and roll back decades of hard-won progress in protecting Jewish life.”
“Zohran Mamdani’s rise is not simply the story of an ambitious local politician riding a wave of discontent over rents and inequality,” the report concludes. “It is the story of how radical anti-Zionism has been repackaged as socialist, populist, progressive politics — and how this ideology now threatens to erode the sense of security for New York’s Jewish community, the largest Jewish community outside of Israel, and whitewash and legitimize anti-Zionism, support for terrorism, and even antisemitism.”
{Matzav.com}
