
Unearthed social media posts expose radical anti-Israel views of Mamdani's dad: 'Colonial occupation'
Mamdani, 79, who Fox News Digital previously reported sits on the advisory council of an anti-Israel organization that supports boycotts and sanctions of Israel, has posted on his X account about Israel on multiple occasions using terms like "settlers" and "colonialism."
"When all ranks of the Occupation, from the armed settler to the settler state, claim 'the right of self-defense', what language is left for those who defend themselves against the Occupation but the right to resist?," Mamdani posted online on May 21, 2021 as Israel was involved in a violent conflict with Hamas.
Earlier that month, Mamdani wrote, "The resistance this time began in Jerusalem and spread to Gaza, now the West Bank and Palestinian communities beyond. This is not a conflict between Israel and Hamas. We are witnessing something far more meaningful, the birth of the Third Intifadah against settler colonialism!."
Calls for a third intifada or a "global intifada", which Zohran Mamdani recently drew heat from Jewish groups for refusing to condemn, is widely considered by many in the Jewish community as condoning violence against Israel.
"Palestinians have a right to resist," Mamdani said in another post. "This is a colonial occupation, not a conflict!"
In October 2014, Mamdani posted a "tribute" to African political activist Ali Mazrui, who Mamdani once co-hosted a panel alongside, according to Middle East Forum.
Mazrui has a long track record of controversial statements about Jews including suggesting they had "a certain kind of impurity" likening them to "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" and saying they've "landed with Mr. Hyde's evil identity," Middle East Forum reported.
Past statements on Israel from both Zohran and Mahmood Mamdani have been a focus of the mayoral race with various Jewish groups speaking out and accusing the pair of antisemitism, a charge that Mamdani has pushed back against.
Mahmood, a professor of anthropology at New York's Columbia University, which has been at the epicenter of the pro-Palestine protests in the U.S. Canary Mission, calls Mahmood a "Marxist" professor who is "known for his anti-Israel views and obsession with 'colonialism.'"
Mahmood was also one of the Columbia faculty members who donned an orange vest and locked arms in attempts to keep Avi Weinberg, an economics student at Columbia, and a small group of Jewish classmates from entering a pro-Palestine encampment on Columbia's campus during the anti-Israel protests following the October 7th Hamas massacre.
"Zohran Mamdani has built his political brand on the same radical, hate-filled and anti-American ideology his father, Mahmood Mamdani, has spent decades promoting—one that demonizes Jewish people and legitimizes anti-democratic violence," Brooke Goldstein, a human rights attorney who specializes in antisemitism, told Fox News Digital.
"The Jew-hatred the Mamdani family peddles is fundamentally anti-American and violates the core values our country was founded on—tolerance, equality, and liberty. Our nation's strength lies in its diversity and commitment to protecting minority rights. Antisemitic world views threaten the peace and security of our communities."
Goldstein told Fox News Digital that Mahmood Mamdani's "dangerous worldview doesn't belong anywhere in American public life."
"It is also a window on anti-Jewish and anti-democratic radicalization that poisons our young, corrupts their minds and steals their souls," Goldstein continued. "If Zohran Mamdani can't—or won't—disavow these beliefs, we have every reason to be alarmed. We don't need anti-American racist Jew-haters in government. We need leaders who protect all of us—not divide us, or worse, decide which among us are worth protecting."
Fox News Digital reached out to Mahmood Mamdani and the Mamdani campaign for comment.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Washington Post
35 minutes ago
- Washington Post
Killings near a West Bank village show even Americans aren't immune
AL-MAZRA'A AL-SHARQIYA, West Bank — The killings of two young men from this village this month, including a 20-year-old American citizen, marked a notable escalation in the battle being waged by Israeli settlers for Palestinian-owned land in the rolling hills of the West Bank. Al-Mazra'a Al-Sharqiya, a picturesque village where most residents are U.S. citizens, had for years escaped the worst of the violence roiling the occupied West Bank. But its residents had watched as settlers toted M-16s and Israeli security forces transformed the neighboring hamlet into what its mayor describes as an 'open-air prison' encircled by barricades and fences.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Mamdani's win signifies hope and a political voice for Muslim Americans
Zohran Mamdani's victory in New York City's Democratic primary for mayor has a group of Pakistani American aunties and uncles so excited that they are wondering if they should have given their own children more freedom in choosing their careers. 'What if we let our kids become politicians, and not just doctors and engineers?' a member of the grassroots political organizing group, DRUM Beats, asked at a small celebration held at an Islamic school last month in south Brooklyn. DRUM Beats, which represents New York City's working class South Asian and Indo-Caribbean populations, was one of the first grassroots groups to endorse Mamdani, when he launched his campaign in October – long before he became a household name. More than 300 volunteers, who spoke near a dozen languages, knocked on at least 10,000 doors to support him. DRUM Beats says these efforts helped increase voter turnout by almost 90% among Indo Caribbean and South Asians in some neighborhoods. The unabashed 33-year-old assemblyman ranked near the bottom of the pack when he began campaigning. Now, Mamdani has a chance to be New York City's first Asian American and Muslim mayor. His family came to the United States when he was seven, and he became a citizen in 2018. He was born to Indian parents in Kampala, Uganda. Mamdani's campaign has piqued the interest of many South Asian Americans, as well as a diverse population of Muslims – not only because of his identity, but his platform, too. Many Muslims, even those who may not fully agree with Mamdani's approach on every issue, see his rise as a sign of hope in a city where racism and Islamophobia erupted following the September 11 terrorist attacks. 'We are stepping into leadership roles that challenge long-standing assumptions about who can represent the city of New York and Americans more broadly,' says Youssef Chouhoud, an associate professor of political science at Christopher Newport University and expert on Muslim Americans. Related: Is the New York Times trying to wreck Zohran Mamdani's mayoral bid? | Margaret Sullivan A leader for Muslims across the US Since winning the Democratic primary, Mamdani has faced Islamophobic smears online, and from both sides of the political aisle. Republican Congressman Andy Ogles demanded the use of material support for terrorism charges against Mamdani, without providing evidence, and urged that he be deported. (The Bush administration used these charges after 9/11 to shut down the nation's biggest Muslim and pro-Palestinian charities, in what civil rights groups argue were often politically motivated investigations.) Donald Trump has since falsely questioned Mamdani's citizenship and the administration's Homeland Security Advisory Council is already looking into him. While New York City's roughly 1 million Muslims aren't enough to decide November's election, Mamdani has become wildly popular with Muslims nationwide. Polling shows that Muslim Americans rank issues related to Gaza and affordability as their top priorities, which are reflective of broader trends and shifts within the Democratic base. It also aligns with the highpoints of Mamdani's campaign such as affordable housing, and his frequent protest against US military support for Israel, said Nazita Lajevardi, an associate professor of political science at Michigan State University. She noted that Muslims – as well as many Democrats, including some Jewish Americans – were horrified by Israel's attacks on Gaza and did not think they had good choices in the 2024 presidential election. Mamdani's campaign won almost over one-third of districts that Trump won in 2024, according to an analysis by the Gothamist. Mamdani's advocacy for Palestinian rights includes authoring legislation that would have banned the city's organizations from sending money to charities supporting Israeli settlement activity. He has been grilled repeatedly about his stance on Israel and whether he will condemn calls to 'globalize the intifada'. He frequently responds with affirmations that he will protect Jewish New Yorkers. He has recognized Israel's right to exist – but only as a state that enforces equal rights for its citizens. Related: 'New Yorkers have been betrayed': can Zohran Mamdani become the most progressive mayor in the city's history? For some pro-Palestinian advocates, a formal recognition of Israel veers closely towards legitimizing the Nakba – when more than 750,000 Palestinians were permanently expelled from their homeland. Others say it's largely a matter of semantics. And even Mamdani's critics on this issue have appreciated his refusal to support a crack down on speech and his explanation that 'intifada' also means 'legitimate protest'. The Palestinian Youth Movement said in an Instagram statement that Mamdani's victory shows that 'being anti-genocide is not, in and of itself, politically costly with American voters in 2025'. 'He supported us at a critical moment' Asad Dandia, who successfully sued the NYPD in 2013 for illegally spying on Muslim New Yorkers, connected Mamdani's campaign to dozens of mosques and imams across the city. The key message was still affordability, Dandia said. Mamdani's campaign team visited 136 mosques, of which he personally visited about40, said Zara Rahim, a senior adviser for Mamdani's campaign. 'Many of the tenets of this campaign are inherently Muslim: justice, mercy, commitment to community,' she said. Mamdani's embrace of being Muslim and South Asian helped build excitement with many voters, from adopting the psychedelic aesthetic of Eid Mubarak WhatsApp forwards to using nostalgic Bollywood references. His strong support of LGBTQ+ and trans rights has not appeared to cost him votes among his more conservative Muslim supporters either. Still, Mamdani's identity, alone, wasn't enough. 'One lesson the left needs to learn is that identity politics cannot win you elections,' said Raza Gillani, an organizer with DRUM Beats. 'You need a political program for people that speaks to the grave inequalities in society.' SK M Mobinul Hoque, a Muslim Bangladeshi taxi driver who lives in Queens, said he voted for Mamdani in the Democratic primary – but he didn't even know Mamdani was Muslim until after he cast his ballot. 'I didn't even care. He supported us at a critical moment; that's why I'm supporting him,' he said. Hoque fondly remembers Mamdani's advocacy for taxi drivers like himself, who were wrecked by mounting debt caused by the city's controversial medallion program. By 2021, Hoque had accumulated about $440,000 of debt and had already heard about five fellow drivers who died by suicide. Mamdani went on a hunger strike for more than two weeks and joined the TWA Taxi Alliance, as they protested in front of City Hall. The city subsequently made a deal with the union for debt forgiveness. 'If you don't keep your promises, we will hold you accountable' New York City possibly getting its first Muslim mayor is notable, given its history of surveilling Muslim Americans after 9/11. Many DRUM members in New York City were deeply affected by the NYPD and FBI's sprawling infiltration of student groups and mosques. The federal government ran elaborate sting operations in which informants sometimes pressured vulnerable Muslims to agree to take part in violent plots – and used their subsequent cooperation to throw them in prison. The Homeland Security Act of 2002 was passed in response to rhetoric that conflated Muslims with terrorists–and paved the way for the creation of Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (Ice). 'Ice was born out of anti-Muslim hate,' said Heba Gowayed, an associate professor of sociology at CUNY Hunter College. Ice's sweeping detentions of immigrants, and ability to operate at Rikers Island after a deal was struck between Eric Adams, New York City's current mayor, and the Trump administration, have triggered old fears about law enforcement. In Astoria, undocumented Middle Eastern and North African immigrants are scared that Ice will try to deport them, said Rana Abdelhamid, who runs Malikah – a local anti-violence nonprofit that operates in Mamdani's assembly district, and has worked closely with him. Earlier this year, a street vendor ran into Malikah's office after Ice's increased activity in Astoria. 'He was coming in frantic–asking, 'can I take the train to go to work today?'', she said. South Asian immigrants with DRUM Beats are scared, too. After 9/11, some Muslim communities based their electoral support on whichever candidate they thought would win, hoping that it could help them get something in return, said Gillani, with DRUM Beats. The organization is trying to move voters in a different direction –'a new politics rooted in community defense', Gillani said. Mamdani has promised to protect immigrants – in part, by expanding the budget for legal representation. DRUM Beats is already thinking about turning out voters in November. At the June meeting, Gillani urged members: 'Don't let this energy die down.' He also emphasized the longterm goal of building power for working-class communities. 'We don't support (Mamdani) because we think he's a messiah who will save New York City,' Gillani said. 'If you don't keep your promises, we will hold you accountable – regardless of whether you are Zohran, Cuomo or Eric Adams.' Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
'No life without water': settler attacks threaten West Bank communities
From his monitoring station on a remote hill in the occupied West Bank, water operator Subhil Olayan keeps watch over a lifeline for Palestinians, the Ein Samiyah spring. So when Israeli settlers recently attacked the system of wells, pumps and pipelines he oversees, he knew the stakes. "There is no life without water, of course", he said, following the attack which temporarily cut off the water supply to nearby villages. The spring, which feeds the pumping station, is the main or backup water source for some 110,000 people, according to the Palestinian company that manages it -- making it one of the most vital in the West Bank, where water is in chronic short supply. The attack is one of several recent incidents in which settlers have been accused of damaging, diverting or seizing control of Palestinian water sources. "The settlers came and the first thing they did was break the pipeline. And when the pipeline is broken, we automatically have to stop pumping" water to nearby villages, some of which exclusively rely on the Ein Samiyah spring. "The water just goes into the dirt, into the ground," Olayan told AFP, adding that workers immediately fixed the damage to resume water supply. Just two days after the latest attack, Israeli settlers -- some of them armed -- splashed in pools just below the spring, while Olayan monitored water pressure and cameras from a distance. His software showed normal pressure in the pipes pulling water from the wells and the large pipe carrying water up the hill to his village of Kafr Malik. But he said maintenance teams dared not venture down to the pumping station out of fear for their safety. Since the start of the war in Gaza, deadly settler attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank have become commonplace. Last week, settlers beat a 20-year-old dual US citizen to death in the nearby village of Sinjil, prompting US ambassador Mike Huckabee to urge Israel to "aggressively investigate" the killing. - Annexation - Issa Qassis, chairman on the board of the Jerusalem Water Undertaking, which manages the Ein Samiyah spring, said he viewed the attacks as a tool for Israeli land grabs and annexation. "When you restrict water supply in certain areas, people simply move where water is available", he told AFP at a press conference. "So in a plan to move people to other lands, water is the best and fastest way", he said. Since the start of the war in Gaza, several Israeli politicians and officials have become increasingly vocal in support of annexing the West Bank, which Israel has occupied since 1967. Most prominent among them is Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, himself a settler, who said in November that 2025 would be the year Israel applies its sovereignty over the Palestinian territory. Qassis accused Israel's government of supporting settler attacks such as the one on Ein Samiyah. The Israeli army told AFP that soldiers were not aware of the incident in which pipes were damaged, "and therefore were unable to prevent it". The damage to Ein Samiyah's water facilities was not an isolated incident. In recent months, settlers in the nearby Jordan Valley took control of the Al-Auja spring by diverting its water from upstream, said Farhan Ghawanmeh, a representative of the Ras Ein Al Auja community. He said two other springs in the area had also recently been taken over. - Water rights - In Dura al-Qaraa, another West Bank village that uses the Ein Samiyah spring as a back-up water source, residents are also concerned about increasingly long droughts and the way Israel regulates their water rights. "For years now, no one has been planting because the water levels have decreased," said Rafeaa Qasim, a member of the village council, citing lower rainfall causing the land to be "basically abandoned". Qasim said that though water shortages in the village have existed for 30 years, residents' hands are tied in the face of this challenge. "We have no options; digging a well is not allowed", despite the presence of local water springs, he said, pointing to a well project that the UN and World Bank rejected due to Israeli law prohibiting drilling in the area. The lands chosen for drilling sit in the West Bank's Area C, which covers more than 60 percent of the territory and is under full Israeli control. Israeli NGO B'Tselem reported in 2023 that the legal system led to sharp disparities in water access within the West Bank between Palestinians and Israelis. Whereas nearly all residents of Israel and Israeli settlements have running water every day, only 36 percent of West Bank Palestinians do, the report said. In Dura al-Qaraa, Qasim fears for the future. "Each year, the water decreases and the crisis grows -- it's not getting better, it's getting worse." lba/acc/ysm/tc