Jakarta, ThedailyID — New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has defended his criticism of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) after Jewish organizations accused him of promoting antisemitic rhetoric.
Mamdani insisted that his remarks targeted AIPAC’s political influence rather than the Jewish community. He argued that the lobbying group continues to support Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories.
“When I speak about AIPAC, I’m talking about an organization that supports the status quo,” Mamdani said. He added that the group has opposed efforts to deliver lasting security for both Palestinians and Israelis.
According to Mamdani, AIPAC maintains its influence through political donations. He claimed the organization uses its financial power to preserve policies that he described as morally unacceptable.
The controversy began after Mamdani criticized AIPAC during a campaign event last week. He accused the organization of spending millions of dollars to boost pro-Israel candidates in this year’s congressional primaries.
Mamdani also alleged that AIPAC-funded advertisements focused on domestic issues instead of U.S. foreign policy. He argued that the strategy distracts voters from broader moral concerns.
Federal Election Commission records show that AIPAC’s super PAC and the Democracy Project contributed more than US$600,000 to BOLD America. The political committee used the funding to support congressional candidate Adriano Espaillat, who ran against Darializa Avila Chevalier, a candidate backed by Mamdani.
However, several prominent Jewish organizations strongly condemned Mamdani’s remarks. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and the American Jewish Committee (AJC) accused him of using antisemitic tropes and warned that such rhetoric could fuel hatred.
AJC CEO Ted Deutch criticized Mamdani’s language and said public officials should avoid statements that could deepen divisions, especially in New York City, which has the largest Jewish population outside Israel.
The dispute has added to growing political tensions in the United States over Israel, Gaza, and the role of pro-Israel lobbying groups in American elections.
