Sanders, who is Jewish, urged Mamdani to be cautious about how he approaches talking about Israel. Both are critics of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel’s handling of its war in Gaza.
Ahead of the trip, Mamdani told business leaders in New York that he would discourage the use of the phrase “globalize the intifada.” Mamdani, who has not used the phrase himself, has said he believes the phrase to be a rallying cry for Palestinian human rights and refused to condemn its use when asked during his primary campaign.
According to the person familiar with their conversation, Sanders told Mamdani he had to do a better job explaining that his criticism is not antisemitic and to not let himself seem like he’s minimizing the fear Jews in New York and elsewhere feel from the threat of hate against them.
He’s warning Mamdani that the pro-genocide people will do everything they can to twist his words and paint him as hostile to Jews rather than to Israel’s genocide of Palestinians. He’s advising him to be more explicit about this distinction because pro-Israel propagandists are already trying to portray him as antisemitic, as they always do. He’s advising Mamdani: there’s an attack coming here that you need to get ahead of. He’s not endorsing the attack or saying that it’s justified. He’s not blaming Mamdani for bringing this attack upon himself.
No he is implying that Zohran is not doing a good job of making a distinction between Israel and Judaism.
And why is that bad? Shouldn’t we, as antizionists, try to decouple from antisemitism as much, both for optics and for the fact that antisemitism sucks?
Yes explain why Sanders said the third paragraph.
He’s warning Mamdani that the pro-genocide people will do everything they can to twist his words and paint him as hostile to Jews rather than to Israel’s genocide of Palestinians. He’s advising him to be more explicit about this distinction because pro-Israel propagandists are already trying to portray him as antisemitic, as they always do. He’s advising Mamdani: there’s an attack coming here that you need to get ahead of. He’s not endorsing the attack or saying that it’s justified. He’s not blaming Mamdani for bringing this attack upon himself.
Pro genocides will always make controversies about any statements supporting palestine and opposing isrsel. Zohran is already very careful
No he is implying that Zohran is not doing a good job of making a distinction between Israel and Judaism.
By the way Bernie Sanders is a Zionist who supports the existence of the Israeli Apartheid.
And why is that bad? Shouldn’t we, as antizionists, try to decouple from antisemitism as much, both for optics and for the fact that antisemitism sucks?
Because Bernie is giving credence to the Zionists saying that Zohran is antisemitic by saying Zohran needs to be more careful about his words.
Zohran does not need to be more careful about his words.