In a radical and alarming move, Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic candidate for New York City mayor, has proposed a bill that aims to impose hefty fines — starting at $1 million — on Jewish organizations for donating to charities that he deems “unauthorized” in Israel. This unforgivable attempt to silence support for Israel should send shockwaves through every corner of our great city.
Mamdani’s legislation, ominously titled the “Not on our dime!: Ending New York Funding of Israeli Settler Violence Act,” was first introduced in 2023. It seeks to curtail donations to groups that, according to him, are involved in the “expulsion and dispossession of Palestinians.” This is not mere rhetoric; it is a blatant attack on the fundamental rights of free association and charitable giving.
Endorsed by prominent radicals such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Vermont’s Bernie Sanders, Mamdani is promoting an agenda that seeks to villainize Jewish charities. His legislation targets organizations like United Hatzalah and ZAKA—heroes that deliver crucial emergency responses and aid to victims of terrorism—merely because they operate in Israel.
Moreover, the bill extends to prohibit support for the One Israel Fund, which provides assistance to over 500,000 residents in areas such as Judea and Samaria. This attack on charitable organizations is not just misguided; it is a systematic effort to undermine community support for Israel.
Mamdani’s bill defines necessary support as “aiding and abetting” acts related to the Israeli government’s operations, labeling even humanitarian activities as “settlement activity.” In his distorted view, synagogues and charities that maintain ties to Israel are complicit in illegal acts simply for existing.
The bill clearly delineates “occupied territory” to include the Israeli-occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, essentially branding portions of Israel as illegitimate and meriting boycotts. This line of thinking directly undermines Israel’s sovereignty and ignores historical context.
Since its introduction, Mamdani’s proposal has faced intense backlash from all sides, including many within his own party. New York Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins have publicly stated that this legislation will never see the light of day, showcasing a rare moment of bipartisan unity against radicalism.
This legislation is nothing short of a propagation of anti-Semitic sentiments disguised as policy. It aims to alienate and target Jewish communities while generating division within the Democratic Party. It is a desperate ploy to incite anger and disrupt cohesion among pro-Israel supporters in New York.
A former candidate, Mamdani has managed to defeat former Governor Andrew Cuomo to secure his party’s nomination. However, his alarming socialist rhetoric and unsettling anti-Israel positions, including vocal support for the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanction movement, are raising red flags across New York’s Jewish community and the business sector alike.
The truth is clear: Mamdani’s vision is fraught with danger for New York’s multicultural fabric and its deep-seated values of democracy and charity. We must stand firm against these extremist ideologies that threaten our city, our alliances, and our principles.