The annual parade celebrating Israel took place in New York City, attracting political leaders like Governor Kathy Hochul and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. However, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani chose not to attend, diverging from past mayoral traditions.
Mamdani had previously stated he would skip the event, emphasizing his clear stance on the Israeli government. 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,
Mamdani mentioned to reporters.
Mamdani’s absence marks a departure from the tradition where New York Mayors join the Israel Day parade.
While Mamdani opted out, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, who is Jewish, expressed her intention to participate with pride. This move came amid rising concerns over antisemitism in the city.
Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman used the occasion to criticize Mamdani, labeling him as anti-Israel.
He highlighted Mamdani’s past actions, such as revising the definition of antisemitism, and accused him of ignoring human rights violations in other countries like Iran and China.
Blakeman remarked, We don’t want to see him marching here, because we don’t want a wolf in sheep’s clothing marching in our parade.
During the parade, Israeli Ambassador to the U.N., Danny Danon, addressed the crowd, praising the strong turnout despite Mamdani’s decision. Anyone who thinks they can erase Israel or distance the Jewish community from this city saw a clear answer today on the streets of New York,
Danon stated.
Other political figures, like State Attorney General Leticia James, joined the parade. Schumer publicly condemned the reoccurrence of antisemitism worldwide, attributing its spread to modern technological advances like the internet. He emphasized the importance of a Jewish state in combating ongoing antisemitism.
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