New York mayoral candidate Andrew Cuomo has challenged Democrat nominee Zohran Mamdani to publicly denounce the phrase “globalize the intifada.”
The New York Daily News reported that Cuomo’s challenge leads up to demonstrations planned to mark the second anniversary of the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack on Israel, which killed 1,200 people and reignited conflict in the region.
Mamdani, a self-described democratic socialist, previously declined to condemn the slogan — a phrase viewed by many as endorsing or inciting violence against Jews. In July, he said he would discourage its use after a discussion with a Jewish woman arranged by Partnership for New York.
Mamdani has acknowledged that the phrase “meant something different to the Jewish community” and said he discouraged others from using it. He has nonetheless faced criticism for not explicitly condemning either the slogan itself or those who use it, a stance Cuomo described as insufficient.
“Zohran Mamdani continues to play word games instead of showing moral clarity,” Cuomo said in a statement from his campaign. “Today I again call on him — directly and unequivocally — to denounce this phrase and to reject any movement that glorifies violence or targets Jewish people.”
Mamdani’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Cuomo’s press release linked to the pro-Palestine group “Behind Enemy Lines,” which is organizing a “No Business as Usual” protest for Oct. 7 under the call to “Escalate for Gaza.” The group’s website encourages students to walk out of class, small businesses to close for the day, and others to join organized demonstrations.
Cuomo also urged the NYPD to “increase security around synagogues, Jewish schools, community centers, and other locations identified as ‘targets’ by these organizers,” according to the statement.