Story summary
Zohran Mamdani, New York City's mayor and a critic of Israel, unveiled a $7.4 million municipal strategy to combat antisemitism in early October 2026, following sharp criticism from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who had branded him "the antisemitic mayor of New York." According to NYPD data through July 2026, confirmed anti-Jewish hate crimes surged by 8.5% compared to the same period in 2025, with a staggering 37% increase in September alone. Mamdani's initiative aims to provide more funding for security upgrades at religious centers and enhance "hate-crime prevention" efforts; however, critics argue that his staunch anti-Israel stance fuels antisemitism and undermines the plan’s effectiveness.
Supporters like Rabbi Shmuel Herzfeld praised the mayor for celebrating Jewish New Yorkers, while detractors, including some in the Jewish community, contend that Mamdani's refusal to condemn "anti-Zionism" as a form of antisemitism weakens his anti-hate crime initiatives. The strategy also faces scrutiny from former NYC Council Speaker Corey Johnson and other officials who believe it falls short by not explicitly addressing anti-Zionist rhetoric, which they argue fuels contemporary antisemitic incidents in New York City. Despite the criticism, Mamdani's administration maintains that this is a comprehensive approach to safeguarding Jewish communities against threats, harassment, or violence. However, skepticism remains about its impact given the mayor’s history of controversial statements regarding Israel and Zionism.
Written for “Mamdani's Antisemitism Plan” on 2026-10-07,
grounded in this article and the 11 other(s) covering the same event.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s plan to combat antisemitism indirectly furthers funding to an Arab-American group critical of U.S. – Israel relations.
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plan → combat → relations
As part of $30 million in investments to push back persecution of the Jewish community, the strategy includes a $6.4 million grant to the Partners Against Hate (PATH).
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strategy → push → Hate
To carry out its mission to "enhance awareness and reporting of hate crimes," PATH partners with a group of six other groups — including the Arab American Association of New York (AAANY), which was formerly led by disgraced Women's March co-founder and notorious anti-Israel activist Linda Sarsour.
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which → carry → -
The link between New York City and AAANY comes as Mamdani struggles to overcome skepticism among Jewish communities that its first Muslim mayoral administration has done enough to adequately combat rising levels of antisemitism in the Big Apple.
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administration → come → Apple
Antisemitic acts make up the greatest slice of the city’s tracking for hate crimes in 2026, accounting for roughly 9% of the picture, according to NYPD reporting.
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acts → make → reporting
In the first eight months of 2026, the city has recorded a hate crime uptick of 16% over last year’s levels.
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city → record → levels
Recorded hate crimes in the "homosexual" category, for instance, make up 29 incidents, and those against Muslims make up another 21.
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those → record → 21
Hate crimes against Jews have reached 181.
One hundred and thirty-one of those are felony offenses.
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hundred → reach → those
The surge prompted Mamdani to unveil his $30 million plan earlier this month, calling it a key step towards combatting hate towards Jewish communities.
"My administration has a responsibility to ensure New York City remains a place where Jewish New Yorkers can live their lives peacefully and safely, where they can walk down the street, enter their houses of worship and build their lives knowing that this city will stand with them," Mamdani said in a strategy document.
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Mamdani → prompt → document
AAANY’s link to PATH was listed in a 2021 press release from then-mayor Bill de Blasio.
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link → list → Blasio
In those remarks, de Blasio listed out the organizations that would partner with PATH to combat racial crimes through a $3 million grant distributed among its partners.
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that → list → partners
"The anchor organizations will work closely with the [Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes] and other city agencies to ensure a comprehensive, community-based approach to preventing hate crime," the press release states.
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release → work → crime
"In New York City, we do not tolerate hate, violence, or bigotry in any form.
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we → tolerate → form
As we drive a recovery for all of us, we must lift up the community leaders standing up against America’s hate epidemic.
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we → drive → epidemic
We are taking action to make sure the hate in our beloved city is eliminated— once and for all," de Blasio said at the time.
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Blasio → take → time
In the years since, however, AAANY has come under scrutiny for its advocacy against the state of Israel, a position that, in the view of some critics, goes outside the scope of its mission to combat racial prejudice.
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that → come → prejudice
Since 2021, AAANY has reportedly given over $223K to Council on American-Islamic Relations, New York (CAIR-NY).
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AAANY → give → Relations
The national CAIR organization has long been the subject of controversy over its alleged ties to Hamas.
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organization → allege → Hamas
In 2007, federal prosecutors named the organization an unindicted co-conspirator in the Holy Land Foundation terrorism financing case, the largest terrorism financing prosecution in U.S. history.
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prosecutors → name → history
Alongside recognizing Israel’s war as a form of genocide, AAANY has pushed for the U.S. to distance itself from Israel.
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U.S. → recognize → Israel
During Mamdani’s time as a state legislator, the group rallied around his "Not On Our Dime" bill.
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group → rally → bill
That legislation sought to restrict New York nonprofit donations from going to Israeli settlement activity, citing what it called a "violation of the Geneva Conventions."
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it → seek → Conventions
The group’s executive director, Marwa Janini, has similarly pressed for the city to oppose the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, citing humanitarian concerns.
"I visited Cairo to pack food aid for Gaza and support Palestinian refugees.
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I → press → refugees
Despite their resilience in the face of the unimaginable loss and hardships they are facing, it is evident that merely sending aid to Gaza is not enough.
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sending → face → Gaza
The NYC City Council must pass a ceasefire resolution to end this U.S.-funded genocide and bring hope and stability to Gaza," Janini said in a statement.
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Janini → pass → statement
Longstanding critics of AAANY have argued that the organization has tried to delegitimize the state of Israel.
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organization → argue → Israel
In 2017, AAANY received backlash from groups like the Anti-Defamation League, a group that combats antisemitism, when Linda Sarsour, who was one of its executive directors, espoused a similar position.
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who → receive → position
"We profoundly reject Linda Sarsour’s positions that delegitimize Israel.
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that → reject → Israel
We have vigorously opposed efforts like the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, which she supports, and we oppose her stance that one cannot be simultaneously a feminist and pro-Israel," the Anti-Defamation League wrote.
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League → oppose → stance
Sarsour was previously pushed out of the Women's March, alongside a couple of other co-founders, for allegations of antisemitism and their embrace of notorious antisemite Louis Farrakhan.
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Sarsour → push → Farrakhan
In 2020, she endorsed his bid for the New York Assembly, calling him her "favorite guy" and was a major backer of his mayoral campaign.
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she → endorse → campaign
The New York Mayor’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital on whether it is concerned that ties to AAANY may undermine efforts to combat antisemitism.
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ties → respond → antisemitism
The Aporia
