Candidate Zohran Mamdani speaks during a Democratic New York City mayoral primary debate, June 4, 2025, in New York, US. Photo: Yuki Iwamura/Pool via REUTERS

During Wednesday night’s New York City Democratic mayoral debate, Zohran Mamdani once again refused to acknowledge Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state, sparking immediate backlash among the other candidates. 

In one of the final questions of the debate, moderator David Ushery asked the candidates which foreign country they plan on visiting first if they become mayor of New York City. Several candidates — Andrew Cuomo, Adrienne Adams, and Whitney Tilson — responded that they would visit Israel on behalf of the city if elected. 

Mamdani stated that he would focus on addressing issues within New York City rather than venturing out of the country. 

Melissa Russo, another one of the moderators, pressed Mamdani on whether he would “visit Israel” if he becomes mayor. 

“As the mayor, I will be standing up for Jewish New Yorkers, and I will be meeting them wherever they are across the five boroughs. Whether that’s in their synagogues and temples or at their homes or at the subway platform,” Mamdani said. 

“Do you believe in a Jewish state of Israel?” Russo asked Mamdani.

“I believe that Israel has a right to exist,” Mamdani said.

“As a Jewish state?” Russo pressed. 

“As a state with equal rights,” Mamdani responded. 

Cuomo interjected, arguing that Mamdani’s response indicates that he does not believe Israel has a right to continue “as a Jewish state” and that the progressive firebrand “will not visit Israel.”

“I believe that every state should be a state of equal rights,” Mamdani continued. 

In the closing stretch of the New York City Democratic mayoral primary, Mamdani’s views on Israel and antisemitism have been increasingly scrutinized. Mamdani, a member of the far-left Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) organization, has been under pressure by anti-Israel activists to adopt a more adversarial posture against the Jewish state. 

Moreover, the progressive city official also sparked outrage after engaging in a series of provocative actions, such as appearing on the podcast of anti-Israel, pro-Hamas influencer Hasan Piker and vowing to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.  

During an event hosted by the UJA-Federation of New York last month, Mamdani also declined to recognize Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state.

“I believe that Israel has a right to exist with equal rights for all,” Mamdani said in a carefully worded response when asked, sidestepping the issue of Israel’s existence specifically as a “Jewish state.”

He also expressed support for the boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) movement — an initiative which seeks to economically isolate Israel as the first step toward its eventual destruction — arguing that Israel has violated Palestinian human rights.

“My support for BDS is consistent with my core politics, which is non-violence. And I think that it is a legitimate movement when you are seeking to find compliance with international law, and I think we have seen the Israeli government be out of compliance with international law,” Mamdani said.

Mamdani has made anti-Israel activism a cornerstone of his political career. A self-described democratic socialist, he has both advanced state legislation seeking to punish Israel and labeled the Jewish state’s defensive military operations in Gaza a “genocide.”

New York City, which is home to the largest Jewish population outside of Israel, has experienced a major spike in antisemitic incidents since the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, invasion of southern Israel, amid the ensuing war in Gaza.