CAIR defends Mamdani after NYC stabbing, drawing backlash from Jewish groups

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) defended New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani against criticism from Jewish organizations, following an antisemitic stabbing in Manhattan. CAIR, in a July 24 statement, expressed solidarity with Mamdani and condemned "Israel advocacy groups for their 'dishonest and dangerous' conflation of Benjamin Netanyahu and his genocidal government with the American Jewish community," without mentioning the recent stabbing or the rise in antisemitic violence. Jewish groups, including B'nai B'rith International and the Zionist Organization of America, criticized CAIR's defense and its silence on the attack, linking Mamdani's rhetoric to the incident. Daniel S. Mariaschin of B'nai B'rith International stated, "Shame on Mamdani and those who continue to parade this dangerous rhetoric." Morton Klein of the ZOA called CAIR's statement "despicable and grotesque and dangerous." EndJewHatred is organizing a rally titled "Blood is on Mamdani's Hands."