Hakeem Jeffries says Zohran Mamdani needs ‘to reassure’ Jewish community over ‘globalize the intifada’ advocacy

In an interview with Punchbowl News, Jeffries, a Democrat Representative from New York who has not yet endorsed Mamdani in the election, said that Mamdani’s refusal to condemn the phrase "globalize the intifada" will "be part of our discussion."

He said that Mamdani needs "to reassure" the Jewish community in the city and others "that he’s going to stand up for their safety and security."

Mamdani won the Democratic primary in New York City’s mayoral race in June. In the days after he won, Mamdani refused to condemn the phrase in an interview, claiming that doing so would be policing speech.

"That's not language that I use. The language that I use, the language that I will continue to use to lead this city, is that which speaks clearly to my intent, which is an intent grounded in a belief in universal human rights," Mamdani said in a Meet the Press interview. "And ultimately, that's what is the foundation of so much of my politics, the belief that freedom and justice and safety are things that, to have meaning, have to be applied to all people and that includes Israelis and Palestinians alike."

When asked once again if he would condemn the phrase, he responded, "I don’t believe that the role of the mayor is to police speech."

"Ultimately, what I think I need to show is the ability to not only talk about something but to tackle it and to make clear there is no room for antisemitism in the city. We have to root out that bigotry and, ultimately, we do that through the actions, and that is the mayor I will be, one that protects Jewish New Yorkers and lives up to that commitment through the work that I do," he added.

Mamdani’s socialist political party is setting its sights on primarying New York City House members, including Jeffries, with the DSA saying in a statement after Mamdani’s primary win, "We encourage all people inspired by the Zohran campaign to join their local DSA or YDSA chapter and get involved so we can continue to fight alongside Zohran and DSA elected officials across the country to create the future we all deserve."