Zohran Mamdani Has Pushed the Liberal Consensus on Palestine. The Left Isn't Satisfied.

"As election day creeps closer in a mayoral race that New York Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani is heavily favored to win, critics to his left are voicing concerns over his flirtation with the political mainstream. Detractors have balked at Mamdani's decision to apologize for his past criticisms of the New York Police Department, questioned whether he's really a socialist prepared to take on corporate power, and mused that - maybe - he's a closet Zionist."

"The critiques almost perfectly contradict the flack Mamdani has gotten from the political establishment to his right, long considered the biggest barrier in the Queens assembly member's path to Gracie Mansion. His closest competitor, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo,attacked Mamdani in a debate Thursday night on the grounds that he "won't denounce 'globalize the intifada,'" claiming the phrase meant "kill all Jews.""

""I learned that this phrase evokes many painful memories," Mamdani said Thursday night. "And in hearing that and the distance between that impact and the rationale that some use of saying it, of speaking about the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land, is why I said that I would discourage this language, language that I do not use." After Mamdani made similar remarks to Al Sharpton on MSNBC last month, one user wrote on X that he had thrown the movement for Palestine "under the bus.""

Zohran Mamdani is heavily favored in a mayoral race but faces criticism from both left and right. Critics on the left object to his apology for past criticisms of the New York Police Department, question his commitment to socialism and accuse him of sympathizing with Zionism. Political opponents on the right, including Andrew Cuomo, attacked him over comments about the protest chant 'globalize the intifada,' alleging it condones violence against Jews. Mamdani said the phrase evokes painful memories and said he would discourage that language. Online reactions included accusations that he betrayed the Palestine movement, highlighting tensions within the Democratic Party.

Read at The Intercept