Dem NYC mayoral nominee Mamdani says we will 'discourage' the term 'globalize the intifada': report

Democratic New York City mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani says that we will "discourage" the use of the term "globalize the intifada" and would not use the phrase, according to a report.

Three people familiar with Mamdani's comments told The New York Times about the remarks after the mayoral candidate made them at a closed-door meeting with about 150 business executives in Rockefeller Center. The meeting was hosted by the Partnership for New York City, a consortium of members representing banks, law firms, and corporations.

The phrase "globalize the intifada" has been used by pro-Palestinian activists amid Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza. Mamdani has been critical of Israel's war and had refused to condemn the use of the phrase during the Democratic primary race that he won in June.

Mamdani told the consortium that many people have used the phrase to express solidarity with Palestinians, but that some New Yorkers believe it calls for violence against Israel, according to a person familiar with his remarks.

Two weeks ago, following his win in the primary race, Mamdani said in an interview that the phrase was “not language that I use” but that “I don’t believe that the role of the mayor is to police speech.”

His recent comments come as he moves from winning the Democratic primary to seeking a victory in the general election in November, where he will face off against Mayor Eric Adams and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who are Democrats running as independents, and the Republican nominee, Curtis Sliwa.

If Mamdani, who is a state assemblyman and socialist, wins the general election, then he will become New York City's first Muslim mayor. He has repeatedly expressed sympathy for the Palestinians, and said that he was told, “The only good Muslim is a dead Muslim.”

When Mamdani's initial comments about the phrase "globalize the intifada" received criticism, he said that he understood Jewish New Yorkers' concerns over antisemitism and plans to increase funding for anti-hate-crime programs.