New York City Mayor skipped the annual parade honoring Israel on 31 May, breaking away from a decades-long political custom because of his support for Palestinian rights.
Despite being known by different names over the years, the Day parade has consistently drawn mayors, governors, and other political figures keen to connect with the large crowds of flag-waving participants who gather along Fifth Avenue to mark the establishment of Israel in 1948.
Mamdani skips annual Israel Day parade
However, that’s not the case for . Two weeks ago, the mayor’s office released a video commemorating the Nakba, an Arabic word for “catastrophe” that is used to describe the displacement of an estimated 700,000 Palestinians during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war that followed Israel’s establishment, AP reported.
The video, which appeared to be the first such recognition from a sitting NYC mayor, featured the story of a woman who was displaced at nine years old, interspersed with text about the Nakba, as she described a feeling of missing home, saying, “it’s the soft hills of that actually touched me.”
At a news conference last week, the NYC mayor said, “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.” However, he did promise a robust police presence to make sure it went off “seamlessly and peacefully.”
New York City’s police commissioner, Jessica Tisch, who is Jewish, did attend the parade. During the press conference with Mamdani, she said, “It is the mayor’s decision not to march, and it is my decision to march proudly.” She had made the remarks on Thursday while standing alongside Mamdani at police headquarters.
Mamdani’s absence draws criticism
Mamdani’s absence, though long expected, has now given fresh fuel to opponents who view his criticism of the Israeli government as .
Rabbi Marc Schneier, founding senior rabbi of The Hampton Synagogue on Long Island and president of the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding, which advocates for better relationships between Jews and Muslims, called Mamdani’s decision not to attend the parade “a slap in the face to all Jewish New Yorkers.”
He said, “Do us a favor, stay home,” and added, “We don’t need you. We don’t want you.” He also slammed Mamdani’s Nakba video as “propaganda,” echoing concerns from other Jewish leaders who said it excluded context about Jewish people’s displacement during the period.
Israeli supporters were outraged, saying the video should have acknowledged the mass displacement of Jews from Muslim-majority countries or the role that the mass slaughter of Jews in the Holocaust played in the drive to establish a Jewish state.
Israel Day parade
The parade was attended by a delegation from Israel’s government, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. The visit marked his first trip to the United States since March 2025 and came nearly two weeks after the far-right settler leader said the International Criminal Court was seeking an arrest warrant against him.
NYC mayors back Israel Day parade
Mayors of New York City, which is home to America’s largest population, have long been outspoken supporters of Israel, often visiting the country. However, support for Tel Aviv among Americans has deeply eroded in the last few years, a trend that accelerated amid the outcry over Israeli military action in Gaza.
Mamdani, the city’s first Muslim mayor, has remained steadfast in his pro-Palestinian advocacy.
He has said he believes Israel has a right to exist, but not as a hierarchy that favors Jewish citizens. Simultaneously, he has pledged to protect Jewish New Yorkers and highlighted the work of the city’s Office to Combat Antisemitism.
- Mamdani’s decision reflects a significant shift in political norms regarding U.S. support for Israel.
- The controversy highlights the growing divide within American society on issues related to Israel and Palestine.
- Mamdani aims to balance his advocacy for Palestinian rights while ensuring the safety and rights of Jewish New Yorkers.
