Copyright Star Tribune
JERUSALEM — The election of Zohran Mamdani as New York City's next mayor has sent a chill across Israel as people come to terms with the victory of a politician propelled by an outspoken pro-Palestinian message that is rare in U.S. politics. Israelis across the political spectrum fear that Mamdani's election -- in the city with the world's second-largest Jewish population — could foreshadow icier relations with the U.S., Israel's most important ally. Support for Mamdani from almost one-third of Jewish voters only added to the pain. ''Very bad,'' said Hana Jaeger, a Jerusalem resident, assessing the news the day after the election. ''For the Jews, for Israel, for everyone, it's very bad. What else can you say?'' Mamdani's campaign was animated by an array of local economic issues, such as the lack of affordable child care and housing. But in Israel, his pro-Palestinian platform is all that matters, and it was the strongest illustration yet of a change in attitudes showing a softening of support for Israel among the American public — particularly younger, Democratic voters. This change appears to have been expedited by anger over the brutal war in Gaza launched in response to Hamas' October 2023 attack on Israel. Israeli government officials expressed their outrage sharply, labeling Mamdani, who is Muslim, as an Israel-hating antisemite. Analysts said their heavy-handed reactions indicated just how concerned they are about the shifting political winds. "Even where there is a huge concentration of Jewish power, Jewish money, Jewish cultural and political influence — even in this place, an American can be elected with a clear anti-Israeli label on his lapel,'' wrote Shmuel Rosner, an analyst at the Jewish People Policy Institute. Israel has traditionally had a special connection with New York City. It is a popular destination for Israeli tourists and politicians, filled with kosher restaurants and home to an Israeli consulate that focuses heavily on relations with the Jewish community. Hebrew can often be heard on the streets and subways. While he says he supports Israel's right to exist, he describes any state or social hierarchy that favors Jews over others as incompatible with his belief in universal human rights. That's a statement many Israelis view as an affront to the core premise of the country, which was founded as a refuge and homeland for Jews in the aftermath of the Holocaust. This vision has tested Israel's democratic ideals; Palestinian citizens of Israel frequently suffer discrimination, and millions of Palestinians live under Israeli occupation in the West Bank. Mamdani also has called the war in Gaza a genocide, a charge Israel's government denies. He's vowed to arrest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if the premier steps foot in the city and signaled he may cut ties with Israeli industry and academia over the devastating war in Gaza. Such views have drawn accusations of antisemitism from mainstream Jewish groups and supporters of Israel. Still, Mamdani has repeatedly committed to fighting antisemitism and developed strong alliances with center-left Jewish leaders. The AP Voter Poll found that he won roughly 30% of the Jewish vote. At his celebration party Tuesday night, Mamdani said, ''we will build a City Hall that stands steadfast alongside Jewish New Yorkers and does not waver in the fight against the scourge of antisemitism.'' Israelis who tuned in Wednesday morning to the country's popular Army Radio station during their morning commutes heard condemnations — and fear — related to Mamdani's victory. Israel's ambassador to the U.N., Danny Danon, speculated that the New York ''Jewish community's sense of security'' might be harmed by Mamdani as mayor, as he has control over the city's police force. Israel's minister of diaspora affairs, Amichai Chikli, a member of Netanyahu's nationalist Likud party, posted a stream of anti-Mamdani graphics on social media, including a retweeted photo of the Twin Towers being engulfed in flames after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, with the caption ''New York already forgot.'' Chikli also encouraged Jews in New York to relocate to Israel. "The city that was once a symbol of global freedom has handed over its keys to a Hamas supporter,'' he said in a social media post. ''For a long, long time, American domestic politics were dominated by pro-Israel politicians, pro-Israel views. In large part, they still are,'' said Mairav Zonszein, a senior analyst with the International Crisis Group. ''Mamdani's win represents that American Jews, specifically the younger generation, are changing and there's no longer this monopoly of pro-Israel politics in domestic U.S. politics.'' The Trump administration, which has been hostile to Mamdani, has largely supported Israel's actions in Gaza. It is now working closely with Israel to determine the next phases of the reconstruction of Gaza and the ceasefire with Hamas. Netanyahu did not immediately comment on the Mamdani win. But his office tried Wednesday to remind Israelis that the country's relationship with the U.S. was still strong. ''We have a bond that is stronger than ever between Israel and the United States right now,'' government spokeswoman Shosh Bedrosian said at her daily briefing. ''The election of Mr. Mamdani is truly inspiring,'' said Palestinian politician Mustafa Barghouti. ''It reflects a great uprising among the younger generation of the United States, including the Jewish young generation, against political and social injustice.''
