A leaked document from a November 2 meeting of the New York City chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America reveals a series of extreme anti-Israel demands the group is preparing to press Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani to adopt. Having helped propel him to victory, the DSA now appears eager to collect on its investment.
Although Mamdani is a long-time member of the DSA who clearly aligns with its anti-Israeli agenda, members are clearly worried he might yield to political pressure once he takes office.
Just the News’ Jerry Dunleavy obtained an internal Anti-War Working Group document that details what the DSA plans to demand of Mamdani.
Dunleavy reported he accessed the document by responding, under his real name, to a DSA announcement of the meeting that was listed as open to the public. He was “sent a Zoom link to join, and a Google document containing the AWWG strategy document.”
The document, titled AWWG Palestine Policy Meeting Meeting Agenda & Notes, lists the following demands:
These demands perfectly reflect the DSA’s broader national agenda. The DSA’s foreign policy section begins with its position on Palestine:
Free Palestine. An immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, an end to military and economic aid, and weapons sales to Israel, respect of the authority of the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice, and national sovereignty for the Palestinian people.
Asked for a comment on these demands by The New York Post, state Assemblyman Kalman Yeger, a conservative Brooklyn Democrat and Orthodox Jew, said:
Well at least the DSA mask is off. This was never about affordability, free buses or anything else. This was always about Jew hatred.With every municipal issue facing New York City’s government, the DSA doesn’t care about the state of our schools, streets, parks, subways, city budget or anything else. They care about Israel — Israel and only Israel.At least now they can stop trying to deny their antisemitism; most New Yorkers aren’t stupid.
Actually, some New Yorkers are stupid. In fact, 50.4% of them are.
While Mamdani openly embraced the label of Democratic Socialist during the campaign, he occasionally sought to distance himself from some of the movement’s more radical positions. There appeared to be a tacit understanding between Mamdani and the DSA that he would do so whenever it was politically expedient.
Mamdani knew very well there were lines he couldn’t cross if he hoped to get elected. Despite his past anti-Israel remarks and his refusal to denounce the slogan “Globalize the intifada,” he claimed he would be a mayor “who protects Jewish New Yorkers.” Remarkably, about a third of Jewish voters seemed to believe him.
He insisted repeatedly that he was neither a communist nor anti-Israel. Even as old statements emerged suggesting otherwise, his supporters largely looked the other way.
At any rate, the DSA played a large role in Mamdani’s victory. The question is, will he reward them for their efforts and impose their hard-left agenda? Or will he temper his politics and be a mayor for all New Yorkers?
If his victory speech was any indication, I fear it’s the former.
Even Van Jones — hardly a centrist himself — remarked on the noticeable shift in Mamdani’s tone from the campaign trail. After watching the victory speech, Jones said:
I think he missed an opportunity. I think the Mamdani that we saw in the campaign trail, who was a lot more calm, who was a lot warmer, who was a lot more embracing, was not present in that speech. And I think that Mamdani is the one you need to hear from tonight. There are a lot of people trying to figure out, can I get on this train with him or not? Is he going to include me? Is he going — is he — is he going to be more of a class warrior even in office? I think he missed a chance tonight to to open up and bring more people into the tent. I think his tone was sharp. I think he was using the microphone in a way that he was almost yelling.
Let’s judge Mamdani by statements he’s made in unguarded moments before his mayoral campaign, not by the polished lines of his campaign speeches.
For example, speaking at a New York University event in September 2023, Mamdani made one of his most despicable, antisemitic remarks yet. He said, “We have to make clear that when the boot of the NYPD is on your neck, it is been laced by the IDF.”
Mamdani was parroting a talking point from the long-running, anti-Israel “Deadly Exchange” campaign, which was created by the anti-Zionist, left-wing advocacy group, Jewish Voice for Peace. Legal Insurrection has covered this topic extensively.
Does that sound like a mayor who would protect Jewish New Yorkers?
Elizabeth writes commentary for Legal Insurrection and The Washington Examiner. She is an academy fellow at The Heritage Foundation. Please follow Elizabeth on X or LinkedIn.
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