(New York, NY – June 23, 2026) – StandWithUs strongly condemns New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s dehumanizing attack against AIPAC, his hypocrisy on election spending, his dangerous lies about Israel, and the destructive agendas he promotes under the guise of “moral change” and the “birth of a new world.”
“Mayor Mamdani is in no position to attack anyone’s morality or political affiliations,” said Avi Posnick, Executive Director of StandWithUs Northeast. “This is someone who has promoted antisemitic conspiracy theories, whitewashed terrorism, and supported a hate campaign that seeks to shut down Israeli-Palestinian cooperation and eliminate the world’s only Jewish state. His run for Mayor was fueled by the DSA, CAIR, and other harmful interest groups. Enough with the hypocrisy and hate, Mr. Mayor.”
Mamdani called AIPAC “monsters” because they back Congressional candidates who support a strong U.S.-Israel alliance and oppose politicians who are hostile to that goal. He said this at a campaign rally for other candidates, including Darializa Avila Chevalier. Chevalier lost Democratic endorsements by refusing to condemn Hamas, attended a rally where speakers celebrated the atrocities committed by Hamas during the October 7th massacre, and was an organizer of the 2024 Columbia University encampment that promoted widespread antisemitism and violent extremism.
AIPAC is often successful because so many Jewish and non-Jewish Americans oppose this hate and believe the U.S.-Israel relationship is beneficial to both countries. For many Jews, support for Israel is deeply personal, rooted in family, faith, ancestry, identity, history, and concern for the safety and self-determination of the Jewish people. Like all other communities, they have every right to organize, advocate, donate, and participate fully in the democratic process.
People also have every right to debate foreign policy matters and the impact of money on elections. However, there should be no place in our democracy for dehumanizing political adversaries as “monsters.” Such rhetoric becomes even more alarming when used against a group that is widely associated with the American Jewish community. Narratives that falsely blame Jewish money and political influence for social divisions, economic hardships, and political failures have fueled vicious oppression and mass murder. In framing Jewish political participation as an obstacle to social progress, Mamdani echoed that dark history.
Meanwhile, Mamdani’s own campaign for Mayor benefited from deeply problematic interest groups and outside spending. His main base of political support – the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) – have promoted antisemitism and violent extremism. Following his victory, Linda Sarsour (a major Mamdani supporter with a long record of promoting hate) celebrated the role of the Unity & Justice Fund, which she publicly described as “the CAIR super PAC.” The fund’s original treasurer was Basim Elkarra, Executive Director of CAIR Action. Filings show that a PAC called New Yorkers for Lower Costs (NYLC) spent more than $3 million supporting Mamdani, and that “the CAIR super PAC” was one of NYLC’s largest contributors. A prominent CAIR leader has fueled division by framing “Zionist synagogues” and Hillel chapters as “enemies” of the Muslim community and celebrated the massacre on October 7th as an act of “decolonization.”
Mamdani himself previously promoted a conspiracy theory falsely blaming Israelis for police brutality in New York. In responding to a question about his latest attacks on AIPAC, Mamdani doubled down and then falsely accused Israel of killing an innocent Al Jazeera journalist—Ahmed Wishah. Footage quickly emerged exposing Wishah as a terrorist firing an AK-47 and other weapons. While he claims to be fighting for a better world, Mamdani has admitted that punishing only Israel with Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) campaigns is “the core of my politics.” According to the New York Times, the committee that coordinates BDS globally includes Hamas and other U.S.-designated terrorist groups. BDS harms both Israelis and Palestinians by fueling endless conflict, seeks to eliminate Israel, and spreads hate in New York City.
No matter how popular Mamdani’s bad ideas may have been in some New York primary elections, his positions on Israel and AIPAC remain deeply immoral and rooted in lies. StandWithUs calls on elected officials and all people of good will to reject Mamdani’s hateful and extremist agenda, which harms Israelis, Palestinians, and New Yorkers alike.
