Mamdani Boycotts Israel Day Parade, Splitting New York Democrats

The annual Israel Day Parade in New York this year has highlighted the widening divide in attitudes within the Democratic Party regarding Israel and Palestine. Amidst the presence of several senior Democratic figures, New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani chose to absent himself, fulfilling a campaign promise not to attend the event due to his rejection of the Israeli government’s policies.

“I said during the campaign that I would not attend the parade, and I have made my views on the Israeli government very clear,” Mamdani told reporters last week. Despite his absence, he emphasised that public safety remains a priority and ensured a large police deployment during the event.

Mamdani’s decision is believed to make him the first New York mayor not to attend the parade since its inception in 1964. Several other progressive figures also chose not to attend, including Brad Lander, a Jewish politician and former New York City Comptroller now running for Congress, as well as groups such as Israelis for Peace and Jews for Racial and Economic Justice (JFREJ).

JFREJ welcomed the decision. In a post on X, the group stated that a parade featuring Israeli politicians who support military operations in Gaza cannot be viewed solely as a celebration of Jewish identity or pride. They expressed gratitude for Mamdani’s decision to abstain.

Mamdani’s stance stands in stark contrast to New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, who attended the parade. “It is the mayor’s decision not to march, and it is my decision to march with pride,” she stated.

Several other Democratic figures were in attendance, including Senator Chuck Schumer, New York Governor Kathy Hochul, Attorney General Letitia James, former Mayor Eric Adams, Michael Bloomberg, and former Governor Andrew Cuomo.

Mamdani’s absence triggered criticism from pro-Israel groups. The CEO of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), Jonathan Greenblatt, described the decision as an “embarrassing ideological statement.” Meanwhile, the New York Post featured a photo of Mamdani cycling in his front yard with a headline mocking his decision to miss the parade.

Conversely, supporters of the mayor highlighted the presence of Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich at the parade. Smotrich is known as a key figure in Israel’s right-wing nationalist camp and frequently draws controversy for his statements regarding occupied Palestinian territories. His presence placed several Democratic politicians in a difficult position.

Ben Rhodes, former Deputy National Security Advisor under President Barack Obama, questioned the double standards applied to Mamdani. “Why is it controversial for Zohran to skip the parade on principle, but not for Democratic politicians to march alongside a fascist fanatic like Smotrich?” he wrote on X.

This pressure prompted several Democratic officials to distance themselves from Smotrich. Kathy Hochul referred to him as a “right-wing extremist” whose hateful rhetoric contradicts New York’s values. Letitia James also condemned Smotrich’s statements, asserting that Islamophobia has no place in the city.

This debate follows shortly after New York City Hall released a video commemorating the Nakba, a term used by Palestinians to describe the displacement of approximately 700,000 people during the 1948 war. The video featured the story of Inea Bushnaq, who recalled the experience of leaving her home at the age of nine.

Pro-Israel groups argued that the video presents only one side of history and ignores the experiences of Jewish refugees and the broader context of the conflict. The controversy further illustrates the shifting political landscape in New York, the city with the largest Jewish population in the United States.

Shifts in public opinion regarding Israel have been evident in various surveys in recent years, particularly amidst increasing criticism of Israeli military operations in Gaza. Mamdani has emerged as one of the most prominent political figures representing this shift.

While known for being strongly pro-Palestine, he maintained that he supports Israel’s right to exist as a state that guarantees equal rights for all its citizens. He even pledged to comply with International Criminal Court (ICC) warrants, including the potential arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should he visit New York and if legal grounds necessitate it.