Jewish elected officials on Friday indirectly blamed Mayor Zohran Mamdani for fueling antisemitism, linking his criticism of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to a pair of stabbing attacks on the Upper West Side.
Mamdani earlier this week released a video where he called Netanyahu a “war criminal.” The video has received more than 90 million views. On Thursday afternoon, police say a 51-year-old suspect yelled “Allahu akbar” while stabbing a Jewish man and an Asian man in quick succession.
Authorities charged the suspect, Raul Morales, with hate crimes on Friday. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch also said the suspect may have been driven by mental illness. But Micah Lasher, the Democratic candidate for Congress to represent the neighborhood, urged Mamdani to soften his rhetoric.
“I beseech all those in a position of power, including our mayor, to hear our cry from the heart, to please help take the temperature down, and provide leadership that makes every New Yorker feel safe in this glorious city,” said Lasher, a state assemblymember.
He described Jewish people as being “singled out” and “compared to the worst evildoers in human history.”
The remarks from Lasher and others outside The Jewish Center on W. 86th Street reflected the delicate politics around Israel and uncertain circumstances surrounding the stabbings.
Speaking at the event, Attorney General Letitia James said she had spoken to law enforcement officials and did not want to draw any conclusions. But she said it was critical to acknowledge rising antisemitism. According to NYPD data, half of all hate crimes this year have been aimed against Jewish people.
Mamdani issued a statement immediately after the attacks, saying, “These hateful and despicable attacks have no place in our city.” He expressed his condolences for the victims on Friday during an interview with NY1.
"When it comes to my comments about Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, they are critiques not based on my personal analysis but rather on objective facts. They are critiques of a political leader not of people of a specific faith or a religion or a background. And my responsibility as the mayor of this city is to keep every New Yorker safe, no matter where they come from, what they believe in, or frankly, even if they agree with my politics," Mamdani said.
Mamdani’s unwavering criticism of Netanyahu and Israel’s war in Gaza was a signature element of his primary campaign. As a candidate, Mamdani said he would seek to have Netanyahu arrested on a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court when the Israeli leader came to the city. In the viral video, Mamdani backed off that threat, saying he had concluded he lacked the authority as mayor to order the arrest of a foreign head of state.
"I want to be equally clear, Benjamin Netanyahu is not welcome in New York City, nor is any other war criminal at large," Mamdani said.
This story has been updated with new information.
Levine was among the Jewish leaders who attributed the attacks to what they viewed as rising antisemitism.
“We are feeling it in social media,” said Mark Levine, the city comptroller, who did not mention Mamdani by name. “We're feeling it in politics, and we are sick and tired of it.”
“We are undeniably being disproportionately targeted,” he continued. “We are not going to stand for it anymore.”
City Council Speaker Julie Menin also stopped short of mentioning the mayor.
“We have to change the rhetoric,” she said. “Words matter, and we all have a responsibility to bring that temperature down,” she said.
