Opinion: Part Two: Does the Democrat Nominee for NYC’s Mayor Promote Antisemitism?

Previously, I wrote an opinion piece discussing whether Zohar Mamdani promotes antisemitic causes and ideas because I overheard someone saying they never heard Mamdani “say or stand for anything that is antisemitic.” Why is this important? Mamdani is the Democrat Party nominee for the office of mayor of New York City, a major American city that has a significant population of Jews.

The first article dealt with Mamdani’s support for BDS, a movement that calls for the destruction of Israel. This article will deal with Mamdani’s support for the anti-Israel slogan “From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free.” The river is the Jordan; the sea is the Mediterranean. What is in between? Israel. In other words, the slogan endorses a movement to replace Israel with an Arab state.

On an aside, the ADL states, “Jewish Voices for Peace” (JVP) “promotes messaging that descends into the antisemitic vilification of “Zionists,” and can include classic antisemitic tropes and support for terrorists.” The ADL states, “Students for Justice in Palestine” (SJP) “engages in antisemitic rhetoric and propaganda.” JVP is allied with SJP. Both groups’ chapters were suspended from Columbia University. Both groups endorse Mamdani’s candidacy. Mamdani has accepted their endorsements. By the way, Mamdani founded a chapter of SJP.

Why is the slogan “From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free” antisemitic? The ADL states:

“This rallying cry has long been used by anti-Israel voices, including supporters of terrorist organizations such as Hamas and the PFLP, which seek Israel’s destruction through violent means. It is fundamentally a call for a Palestinian state extending from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea, territory that includes the State of Israel, which would mean the dismantling of the Jewish state. It is an antisemitic charge denying the Jewish right to self-determination, including through the removal of Jews from their ancestral homeland.”

“Usage of this phrase has the effect of making members of the Jewish and pro-Israel community feel unsafe and ostracized. It is important to note that demanding justice for Palestinians, or calling for a Palestinian state, should not mean, as this hateful phrase posits, denying the right of the State of Israel to exist.”

That should be enough for most to understand why the slogan is antisemitic, but there is more:  The slogan, From the River to the Sea, was the final blow to Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib as she was censured by a bipartisan congress who rightfully saw the slogan she promoted after 10/7 as antisemitic in nature and intent, as one Democrat congressman said, “It is nothing else but the call for the destruction of Israel and murder of Jews.” Another congressman said regarding the censure that it is for Tlaib’s “promotion of antisemitic rhetoric.”

Zohar Mamdani has been called upon to condemn the slogan. He has refused. He states, “It means different things to different people.” New York State Democrat Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, when she explained about her refusal to endorse Mamdani stated, “when you hear ‘from the river to the sea,’ it is received as slaughter the Jews and destroy Israel. Period. It’s how it’s received.”

So far, the accusation that mayoral candidate Zohar Mamdani promotes antisemitism is rapidly approaching solid ground. But as before, six hundred words are enough for now. Stay tuned to part three when the antisemitism of “globalize the intifada” is discussed.