() Actor and comedian Michael Rapaport said having Socialist Democrat Zohran Mamdani as mayor of New York City would be “a slap in the face” to Jewish residents, citing the politician’s association with calls to “globalize the intifada.”
During a Tuesday interview on ’s “CUOMO,” Rapaport criticized Mamdani for promoting what he characterized as anti-Jewish rhetoric in New York City. Rapaport described Mamdani as “a Democrat in name only.
“We are this close to having a person like that become mayor of what should be considered the greatest city in the world,” Rapaport said. “But the fact that this guy is even in contention is a slap in the face. Whether he wins or loses, it is a slap in the face.”
His comments come as there is nearly a 400% increase in antisemitic incidents across the country since the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel. Rapaport noted that 50 hostages remain in captivity 648 days later and expressed frustration with continued anti-Jewish sentiment in New York City.
Rapaport criticized those who tear down hostage posters and chant about “globalizing the intifada” on New York streets. He said Mamdani lacks “the decency and the courage to articulate exactly what globalize the intifada means.”
The actor also addressed the distinction between antisemitism and anti-Zionism, explaining that Zionism “simply means the right for Israel to exist as a sovereign nation.” He acknowledged Israel’s flaws while arguing that critics should educate themselves about the complexities of the situation.
The actor described Gaza as “hell” but clarified it’s “not because of the innocent people in Gaza” but rather “because of the people that run that place,” referring to Hamas.
“There should be casinos. There should be strip clubs. There should be Chick-fil-A’s. There should be Starbucks. There should be the Gaza International Film Festival,” but that “never, ever, ever is going to happen because of Hamas,” he said.
Zohran Mamdani’s record and rhetoric
In choosing Mamdani as their candidate for mayor, Democrats in America’s most Jewish city have nominated an outspoken critic of Israel, alarming some in New York’s Jewish community and signaling a sea change in the priorities of one of the party’s most loyal voting groups.
Mamdani’s success reflects the ideological realignment of many American Jews since the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas on Israel that led to Israel’s invasion of Gaza.
Many Democratic voters, including Jews, have grown dismayed by Israel’s conduct in the war and are deeply critical of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. That is especially true among younger, more progressive voters, many of whom have rejected the once-broadly accepted notion that anti-Israel sentiment is inherently antisemitic.
Mamdani has repeatedly pledged to fight antisemitism, including during an appearance on “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert,” where he was grilled on his stance. He was joined on the show by City Comptroller and fellow candidate Brad Lander, the city’s highest-ranking Jewish official, who have endorsed each other’s campaigns in hopes of defeating former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in ranked-choice voting. Mandani has also said he would increase funding for anti-hate crime programming by 800%.
But many of his comments have angered Jewish groups and officials, most notably his refusal to disavow the phrase “globalize the intifada,” which has been used as a slogan in recent protests.
Many Jews see it as a call to violence against Israeli civilians. In a podcast interview, Mamdani said the phrase captured a “a desperate desire for equality and equal rights in standing up for Palestinian human rights.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
