New York Mayor Mamdani skips annual Israel Day Parade

Mayor Zohran Mamdani boycotted the Israel Day Parade in New York; This was the first leader of the US city in decades not to attend the annual march.

At noon, thousands of people marched through the streets of Manhattan waving Israeli flags and blue-white balloons, some wearing shirts with the slogan “I love Israel.”

The parade has been held annually in solidarity since the 1960s. New York is home to the largest Jewish urban population outside Israel, with nearly one million Jewish citizens.

Mamdani, who took office at the beginning of the year, justified his decision not to participate with his attitude towards the Israeli government.

“I said on the campaign trail that I would not attend the parade and made my views on the Israeli government abundantly clear,” he said earlier this week.

Mamdani, New York’s first Muslim mayor, is known for his pro-Palestinian stance. He accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza and systematically violating the rights of Palestinians.

He also condemned Hamas’ attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, as a “horrible war crime” and emphasized his commitment to equal rights for Israelis and Palestinians.

Israel’s UN Ambassador Danny Danon accused Mamdani of “turning around”[ing] He turned his back on tens of thousands of Jews and Israel supporters by deciding not to participate in the march.

Former Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett also condemned Mamdani for this move.

“The mayor of New York cowardly chose not to participate, and that sends him a message. To him, leadership means showing up for all New Yorkers, including the Jews who call this city home,” Bennett wrote to X. he wrote.

“Today, thousands of New Yorkers will march to celebrate Israel. Not because they accept every policy or government, but because Israel is the homeland of the Jewish people, the world’s only Jewish state, and a source of pride, refuge, and belonging for millions of Jews.”