Afrasianet - New York Mayor Zahran Mamdani has called the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) "monsters," accusing it of spending "millions of dollars of shady money" to divide Americans and maintain its political clout.
Mamdani's remarks came during a rally chaired by Senator Bernie Sanders at the Kings Theater in Brooklyn on Thursday, days before Tuesday's Democratic primary to select its progressive candidates for Congress.
New York City Mayor Zahran Mamdani (right) waves his hand on the podium with Senator Bernie Sanders during a rally urging voters to participate ahead of the New York primary, in the Brooklyn borough of New York City (Associated Press)
During the event, Mamdani called on attendees to support a number of progressive candidates, including former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, New York State Councilwoman Claire Valdez, as well as former pro-Palestinian Columbia University sit-in organizer Darlisa Avila Chevalier.
Mamdani opens fire on Netanyahu and Gaza
In a speech that lasted about 30 minutes, Mamdani expanded his criticism to include Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his administration of the war on Gaza, saying that "the monsters we face take many different forms," before directly criticizing AIPAC.
He described the pro-Israel lobbyas an organization that "there is nothing more terrifying for it than to allow democracy to take its natural course, other than to end the genocide and Netanyahu's wars."
Mamadani also accused the commission of moving "millions of dollars of dark money" in order to maintain its political influence, arguing that the money was being used to stir up divisions among Americans rather than push political leaders toward what he called "necessary moral change."
Senator Bernie Sanders stepped up his attack on the American Israel Public Affairs Committee during the same event, saying that "a large part of American foreign policy is influenced by AIPAC funding," referring to the influence of lobbyists within Washington.
On the local elections, Mamdani praised candidate Claire Valdez's positions in support of stopping the war on Gaza, saying that she stood out from other Democrats in her stance on the conflict, saying, "When other Democrats turned a blind eye to what he called war crimes in Gaza, Claire not only called it genocide, but also sought to push for a ceasefire."
Wide interaction and political division
Mamdani's remarks quickly sparked a wide reaction on social media platforms, with activists and users circulating clips of his speech, especially his calling the AIPAC committee "monsters" and accusing it of influencing American political life through political funding.
Reactions were divided between those who saw his remarks as an expression of rising criticism within the progressive movement toward pro-Israel lobbyists, and those who saw them as an escalation in the American political discourse in the context of the war on Gaza.
These developments come at a time when the Democratic Party is witnessing a growing debate about Israel's war on Gaza and the role that lobbyists play in shaping political and electoral positions within the United States, amid a clear contrast between the progressive wing and traditional leaderships.
The remarks reaffirmed the growing division within the Democratic Party over the Gaza war, with the progressive wing calling for tougher stances toward the Israeli government and a number of traditional Democratic leaders continuing to support close ties with Israel.
Observers believe that the controversy sparked by Mamdani's remarks reflects broader shifts within the political mood of the democratic base, especially among young people and progressive voters, as foreign policy issues, particularly the stance on the Gaza war and the relationship with pressure groups, have become more present in electoral debates.
Analysts point out that this shift is not limited to political discourse, but is also reflected in voter behavior in primaries, as the influence of traditional partisan considerations in favor of identity and foreign policy issues is waning.
In the context of the reactions, positions differed between figures and activists, with Jewish community activist Moshe Spirin saying that Mamdani's statements represented a targeting of Jews by labeling them "monsters."
American politician Pat Buchanan also wrote on the "X" platform that "left-wing Jews are losing control of their political party," in a statement that sparked widespread controversy.
For his part, Israeli activist Hen Mazig said that Mamdani's statements ignore other international files such as Russia and the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan, considering this as evidence of double standards.
Lawyer and community activist Kai Steinsaber warned of the repercussions of the rhetoric, arguing that the use of such descriptions could have a negative impact on the security of the Jewish community in the United States, especially in New York City, which has the largest Jewish community outside of Israel.
US billionaire Bill Ackerman also called Mamdani's speech "very dangerous", questioning how he would react if the same remarks were directed at any other ethnic group.
Dr. Afshin H. Amrani said the discourse uses "very sharp rhetorical language," warning of what he described as "the discourse of demonizing opponents and reproducing historical patterns of political polarization."
A number of pro-Israel Democrats are facing increasing challenges to maintain their political positions, as progressives grow in influence within the Democratic Party and voters' criticism of Israeli policies, especially in the wake of the Gaza war.
The comments come at a time of mounting criticism of pro-Israel lobbyists in the United States over their role in financing election campaigns and influencing candidates' positions, after decades of strong presence on the U.S. political scene.
Source: U.S. Press + Social Media
