New York Mayor Mamdani Calls AIPAC 'Monsters' in Anti-Israel Speech

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani delivered a sharply anti-Israel speech over the weekend, attacking the pro-Israel lobby AIPAC with language the article describes as openly antisemitic. He called the group “monsters” and accused it of trying to divide Americans and protect its own power.

Mamdani said AIPAC was more afraid of “letting democracy proceed as usual” than of “ending the genocide and Netanyahu’s wars.” He added that the organization “invests millions in dark money” for one purpose, “to keep their power so they can incite us against each other.” He then linked AIPAC to the difficult economic situation facing Americans and said there was “no need to fear monsters.”

The remarks were made at a rally that also featured Senator Bernie Sanders, a Jewish progressive and one of the Democratic Party’s most prominent critics of Israel. Sanders also addressed the lobby, saying, “The American people understand that a lot of our awful foreign policy is influenced by AIPAC funding.”

The article says Israel has become a central issue in many U.S. midterm races, and that AIPAC, once widely courted by politicians from both parties, has faced unprecedented criticism in recent years. It also notes that attacks on the organization have led to real-world violence attempts, including a recently foiled terror plot against the White House whose planners allegedly sought to target American lawmakers who had received AIPAC support.