Opinion | Attacks on Mamdani Prove Israel's Supporters Can't Even Tolerate Criticism of Netanyahu

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani declared Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu unwelcome in New York and called for honoring the International Criminal Court's arrest warrant. This stance, a departure from previous mayors who embraced Israeli leaders, has been met with strong reactions from pro-Israel organizations. The article argues that these groups conflate criticism of Netanyahu with antisemitism, a tactic it deems "dishonest and dangerous." It asserts that Netanyahu is not representative of the Jewish community and that many Jewish Americans also criticize his actions. The author contends that the focus on Israel is justified due to U.S. financial and military support for its actions, and that Mamdani has given Israel less attention than previous mayors. Public opinion polls are cited, indicating significant American support for Netanyahu's arrest if he visits the U.S. and higher favorability for Mamdani among Jewish Americans than for Netanyahu.