NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani Skips Israel Day Parade, Drawing Sharp Criticism Over Pro‑Palestinian Stance

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani broke with decades of political tradition on Sunday by not attending the annual Israel Day parade, a long‑standing must‑appear event for mayors, governors and national political figures.

Mamdani’s absence follows his administration’s release of a Nakba commemoration video two weeks earlier the first such recognition by a sitting NYC mayor. The video highlighted the displacement of an estimated 700,000 Palestinians during the 1948 Arab‑Israeli war, featuring the personal story of Inea Bushnaq, who described losing her home at age nine.

At a Thursday news conference, Mamdani reiterated that he had been transparent about his stance: “I said on the campaign trail that I wouldn’t be attending the parade, and I’ve made my views on the Israeli government abundantly clear.” He also pledged a strong police presence to ensure the event proceeded “seamlessly and peacefully.”

Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, who is Jewish, attended the parade, saying: “It is the mayor’s decision not to march, and it is my decision to march proudly.”

Backlash from Jewish leaders and political opponents Mamdani’s decision though expected has intensified criticism from opponents who argue his stance crosses into antisemitism. Rabbi Marc Schneier, a prominent Jewish leader, called the mayor’s absence “a slap in the face to all Jewish New Yorkers,” adding: “Do us a favor, stay home. We don’t need you. We don’t want you.”

Schneier also condemned the Nakba video as “propaganda,” echoing concerns from other Jewish leaders who said it lacked context about Jewish displacement during the same period.

A delegation from Israel’s hard‑line government, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, marched in the parade. The visit marked Smotrich’s first trip to the US since March 2025 and came shortly after he said the International Criminal Court was seeking an arrest warrant against him.

Mamdani’s stance reflects a broader shift in New York politics, where debates over Israel and Palestine have become increasingly polarised. His supporters argue he is elevating narratives long ignored in mainstream US politics, while critics say he is undermining a key civic tradition and alienating Jewish constituents.