{
  "id": 9874576,
  "title": "NY Jewish Democrats defend Mamdani after Netanyahu calls him a Hamas supporter",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/26/ny-jewish-democrats-defend-mamdani-after-netanyahu-calls-him-a-hamas",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-26T01:14:40.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Jerusalem Post",
    "slug": "jerusalem-post",
    "url": "https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/article-909749"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Some prominent New York Jewish Democrats are standing up for Mayor Zohran Mamdani following Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's accusations that Mamdani is an antisemite and a friend of Hamas. At Netanyahu's speech at the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, he called for Mamdani's removal. Mamdani, a vocal critic of Israel, is an avowed anti-Zionist who has pledged to arrest Netanyahu, though he later conceded he lacks the power to do so. Despite his criticism of Israel, many New York Jewish officials believe Netanyahu's UN comments went too far. Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal, a Jewish Democrat, stated that it is \"scurrilous\" to suggest Mamdani supports Hamas. City Council Speaker Julie Menin, also a Jewish Democrat, urged a decrease in tensions following the controversial remarks. Mamdani has condemned Hamas as a terrorist organization and denounced antisemitic hate crimes in New York. The mayor responded to Netanyahu's speech by calling it the repetition of \"baseless lies\" meant to justify Israel's actions in Gaza. Netanyahu's speech at the UN General Assembly was motivated by his reelection campaign, where Mamdani has been portrayed as a villain by Netanyahu's Likud Party.",
  "summary": "New York Jewish Democrats defended Mayor Zohran Mamdani after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused him of antisemitism and ties to Hamas, saying the remarks went too far.",
  "key_points": [
    "Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal calls Netanyahu's accusations \"scurrilous\"",
    "Mayor Zohran Mamdani condemns Hamas as a terrorist organization",
    "Mamdani criticized Israel but lacks power to arrest Netanyahu"
  ],
  "editors_take": "New York Jewish Democrats' defense of Mayor Mamdani signals a rift between some in the state's influential Jewish community and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, who has sought to portray Mamdani as an antisemite.",
  "illustration": "https://urgent.news/ill/9874576.png",
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Al Jazeera",
        "title": "Netanyahu calls Al Jazeera a ‘toxic media outlet’",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/25/netanyahu-calls-al-jazeera-a-toxic-media-outlet",
        "published": "2026-09-25T21:37:35.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Times of Israel",
        "title": "‘Not helpful’: NY Jewish Dems slam Netanyahu for saying Hamas and Mamdani are ‘buddies’",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/26/not-helpful-ny-jewish-dems-slam-netanyahu-for-saying-hamas-and",
        "published": "2026-09-26T02:22:26.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}