New York City’s Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani has said he will refrain from using the phrase “Globalize the intifada” and would “discourage” others from using the phrase as well, according to The New York Times.
Mamdani’s comments came in a closed-door meeting with prominent business leaders on Tuesday. This is the first time the nominee has come close to condemning the phrase, which he has argued is used to express solidarity with Palestinians.
He has not publicly commented on the meeting or made a public statement urging pro-Palestinian demonstrators to stop using the phrase.
When reporters previously asked him if he would condemn the phrase, he argued that the role of the mayor is not to police free speech.
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators have popularized the phrase, which, for Jews, recalls the First and Second Intifadas when terrorists targeted Israeli civilians with suicide bombings. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators who use the phrase say it is a call for resistance and deny that it is a call to violence.
The meeting was held at the offices of Tishman Speyer in Rockefeller Center and was attended by approximately 150 business executives, according to The New York Times. The businessmen represented banks, law firms, and corporations.
Mamdani's campaigns on lowering cost of living for New Yorkers
Mamdani is a self-described democratic socialist who served as a member of the New York State Assembly. He has run his campaign on lowering the cost of living for New Yorkers by offering more public services and raising taxes on high-income New Yorkers and corporations.
In the general election, he is set to face Republican Curtis Sliwa, as well as Andrew Cuomo and Eric Adams, who will both be running on Independent tickets.
Mamdani has been an outspoken critic of the Israel-Hamas War and has alleged that Israel is committing genocide. At the meeting, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla pushed Mamdani about the meaning of genocide, and defended Israel’s war in Gaza, The New York Times reported, citing two meeting attendees.
Mamdani has empathized with Jewish New Yorkers over their concerns about antisemitism and has highlighted his plan to increase funding for hate-crime prevention programs.
Senate Democratic leader Charles Schumer has expressed concern over Mamdani’s refusal to condemn the phrase and has not endorsed him, along with House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries.
“What ‘Globalize the intifada’ means is really wrong and should be condemned, and I look forward to my discussions with Mr. Mamdani,” Mr. Schumer told reporters Tuesday, according to The New York Times, after speaking with the mayoral candidate.