Mayor Zohran Mamdani of New York City is facing a call from over 700 rabbis to apologize for recent remarks he made disparaging the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). The rabbis argue that the mayor’s remarks amounted to an act of dehumanization that endangers Jewish Americans and their allies.
Remarks Spark Backlash
During a June 18 rally ahead of New York City’s Democratic primaries, Mamdani referred to AIPAC as ‘monsters’ who use ‘millions in dark money to accomplish a single goal — to preserve their power, so that they can turn us against one another.’ The remarks sparked backlash, with a letter signed by hundreds of rabbis expressing concerns that Mamdani’s rhetoric could contribute to increased antisemitism.
Mamdani defended his remarks, stating that he was speaking about an organization that has been supportive of the status quo, which he believes is immoral. He also claimed that he was quoting philosopher Antonio Gramsci when he used the term ‘monsters’ to describe AIPAC.
The letter from the rabbis noted that Mamdani’s words matter because they were spoken by the leader of the city with the largest Jewish population outside Israel. The rabbis called on the mayor to apologize, retract his remarks, and make it clear that ‘Jews and pro-Israel Americans are full participants in our democracy.’
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
