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New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani published a statement and video on Friday marking “Nakba Day,” Arabic for “catastrophe,” referring to Israel’s founding 78 years ago.
“Today marks Nakba Day, an annual day of remembrance to commemorate the expulsion of more than 700,000 Palestinians between 1947 and 1949 during the creation of the State of Israel and the year that followed,” Mamdani said.
Today marks Nakba Day, an annual day of remembrance to commemorate the expulsion of more than 700,000 Palestinians between 1947 and 1949 during the creation of the State of Israel and the year that followed.
Inea is a New Yorker and a Nakba survivor. She shared her story with us… pic.twitter.com/z2PBOaJq5Z
— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) May 15, 2026
The UJA-Federation of New York took direct aim at both the content and the timing of Mamdani’s message.
“Mayor Mamdani: the refugees you post about exist because 22 Arab states launched a war to destroy Israel,” the organization said. “In its aftermath, 800,000 Jews were expelled from Arab lands. Your post mentions none of this. And you chose 5:40 PM on Friday to post it — as Jewish New Yorkers prepare to light Shabbat candles. We noticed.”
Mayor Mamdani: the refugees you post about exist because 22 Arab states launched a war to destroy Israel on May 15, 1948—rejecting the UN plan that also called for a Palestinian state. In its aftermath, 800,000 Jews were expelled from Arab lands. Your post mentions none of this. https://t.co/Fn1aY788Tc
— UJA-Federation of New York (@UJAfedNY) May 15, 2026
New York State Assemblymember Simcha Eisenstein, from Brooklyn, condemned Mamdani’s post as government-sponsored incitement. “Still wondering why hatred against Jews is so high in NYC? We have a mayor who is using government resources to disseminate a narrative and incite hostile propaganda,” Eisenstein said.
New York State Assemblymember Sam Berger, from Queens, rejected Mamdani’s framing. “Rewriting history to portray the existence of Israel itself as the original sin is not education or remembrance. It is propaganda,” Berger said. “This mayor constantly tries to market himself as an ally to the Jewish community while amplifying narratives that fuel hatred against the Jewish people.”
Jews face hate crimes at higher rates than all other groups combined in New York City. According to NYPD data, Jews were targeted in 60% of all hate crimes in the city in the first four months of 2026.
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