From New York City to Jerusalem: Mamdani’s Upset Winner Rattles Israel’s U.S. Support Assumptions

When 34-year-old Zohran Mamdani emerged victorious in the mayoral race in New York City, his supporters hailed a historic win: the city’s first Muslim mayor, an embodiment of progressive politics in America’s largest urban centre. But thousands of miles away in Israel the response was markedly different — tinged with unease, introspection and a sense that something deeper might be changing.

The Israeli reaction

In Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and beyond the reaction was swift and uncompromising. “Very bad… For the Jews, for Israel, for everyone,” said one resident as the news broke. The wave of concern was not focused on the local economy, transit or housing—issues that dominated much of Mamdani’s campaign. Instead, it homed in on his views about Israel and how they gesture toward a broader shift