Mamdani Falsely Accuses Israel of ‘Genocide’ Three Times in NYC Mayor Debate

In Thursday night’s New York City mayoral debate, Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani once again revealed how far left his ideology truly runs — this time by falsely accusing Israel of committing “genocide” three separate times.

“I was horrifid by the genocide of Palestinians,” Mamdani said, explaining why he left his ballot blank during the 2024 Democratic presidential primary. Later, he doubled down, insisting that a Gaza ceasefire was necessary “for the end of the genocide.” He even accused Israel of “apartheid” and went so far as to attack his opponent, Andrew Cuomo, saying: “He signed up to be Benjamin Netanyahu’s legal defense team during the course of this genocide.”

These statements are not only inaccurate — they’re dangerous. There is no evidence whatsoever of genocide or genocidal intent by Israel. The ongoing conflict began when Hamas launched a brutal, unprovoked assault with the clear goal of killing as many Israelis as possible — an act that was, by definition, genocidal.

Military expert John Spencer offered firsthand insight in a letter to The Wall Street Journal, writing:

“I had spent several days in and around Gaza City, where I was talking to division, brigade and battalion commanders and their soldiers actively destroying Hamas. I had no idea that I may have been with them during the last day of major fighting in the war. They discussed how they succeeded in moving civilians out of harm’s way, removing Hamas’s main weapon. They described adapting to the thousands of IEDs Hamas had placed seemingly everywhere, and how their units had responded to the terror group’s new urban and guerrilla tactics. Most palpable was that they were optimistic the military pressure was working—not because they were intent on ‘genocide,’ but because the thought of going home, with all the hostages returned, made them happy.”

Israel’s joy at the end of the war — and the safe return of its hostages — says everything. As Spencer concluded, “Joy isn’t what you feel when your deepest ambitions have been thwarted. It is what you feel when your nation has survived, your hostages are home and your children can dream again.” Israel’s goal was never destruction. It was peace.

Mamdani’s comments struck a nerve in New York City, home to the world’s largest Jewish population outside Israel. Jewish leaders have condemned his remarks as inflammatory and dangerous, warning that such rhetoric fuels antisemitism and heightens fears for community safety.

Despite this backlash, Mamdani remains the frontrunner, largely because the opposition vote is split between disgraced former Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa. Mamdani continues to focus his campaign on cost-of-living issues, touting socialist-style “solutions” like price controls — ideas that have failed time and again, from Venezuela to California.

When asked how he would make New York safer, Mamdani proposed hiring “a new staff of mental health professionals” so police could focus on emergencies. The concept — rooted in the Black Lives Matter movement’s calls to “defund the police,” which Mamdani supported — ignores a hard truth: many violent offenders also suffer from mental illness. Replacing trained law enforcement with social workers isn’t reform; it’s recklessness.

At a time when New York faces rising crime, antisemitic attacks, and an affordability crisis, Mamdani’s blend of radical activism and failed economic theory should deeply concern every voter who values safety, stability, and common sense. His words reveal more than political theater — they expose the growing moral and ideological divide in the Democratic Party, one that prioritizes slogans over facts, and grievance over governance.