The elections held in New York City caused significant discussion not only in American but also in Israeli political circles. The reason - 34-year-old Muslim-democratic politician Zohran Mamdani won the mayoral election. His victory sparked controversy among the city's large Jewish community and Israeli officials.
Ammihai Shikli, the Minister of Diaspora Affairs and Anti-Semitism in Israel, called on Jews to "return to their homeland" after this incident. He believes that "New York will never be the same, especially for its Jewish population." In his statement, Shikli assessed Mamdani's victory as "the city's entry onto the path of fanaticism, a symbol of freedom."
"New York, once a symbol of freedom, has now fallen into the hands of a politician close to the ideas of fanatics. If Jews are thinking about their safety and tomorrow, it's time to return to Israel," the minister wrote on his page X.
According to Shickley, "cities like New York and London are now taking a step on the path to a precipice." This opinion was also shared by Israel's Minister of National Security and leader of the right-wing "Osma Yexudit" party, Itamar Ben-Gvir. He stated that "Mamdani is a Hamas supporter, an enemy of Israel, and an open anti-Semite."
According to data, approximately 1.3 million Jews live in New York City - the largest Jewish diaspora in the world outside of Israel. Therefore, Mamdani's victory caused great concern among them.
Mamdani, in his political program, put forward the ideas of social equality, economic justice, and ensuring the interests of the population through "increasing taxes for the rich." He plans to freeze rent, make preschool education free, provide free public buses, and open a chain of grocery stores.
According to the election results, he won with 50.4% of the vote, while former governor Andrew Cuomo took second place with 41.6%. The remaining candidates did not gain a significant advantage.
Following this incident, US President Donald Trump also reacted. He called Mamdani a "left-wing communist" and stated that "his ideas will lead the city to an economic crisis."
Now the political atmosphere in New York is tense. Mamdani's victory is seen, on the one hand, as a great victory for minorities, and on the other hand, as the beginning of a new era in which religious and political views clashed sharply.
The new mayor's first steps in politics are being closely watched not only by Americans but also by the entire world community.
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