Allegations of Concealed Antisemitism
Benjamin Kerstein, an associate fellow at the Z3 Institute and author of the 2026 book "Jews of Privilege: Elites, Anti-Zionists, and Our Secret Civil War," published an opinion piece on Oct. 5, 2026, titled "Mamdani’s great antisemitism cover-up." In the article, Kerstein characterized New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani as an "open antisemite" who has engaged in a systematic effort to conceal his views.
Kerstein alleged that Mamdani has referred to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) as "monsters." The author further claimed that Mamdani stated the Jewish state has no right to exist, while making no comparable statement regarding Muslim states. Additionally, Kerstein alleged that Mamdani refused to condemn the slogan "globalize the intifada." These claims were presented as evidence of a pattern of antisemitic rhetoric.
The opinion piece also addressed Mamdani’s response to the events of Oct. 7. Kerstein stated that immediately after the attacks, Mamdani said, "I mourn the hundreds of people killed across Israel and Palestine in the last 36 hours." Kerstein argued that this statement must by definition include Hamas terrorists. The author alleged that Mamdani subsequently proposed a plan to fight antisemitism while claiming to oppose it based on progressive values.
Details of the Proposed Plan
Kerstein cited a press release for Mamdani’s proposed plan, alleging that it noted "Jewish New Yorkers face a disproportionate share of hate crimes in the city." The author claimed the release failed to mention Mamdani’s own role in inciting such crimes or the fact that these crimes were overwhelmingly committed by members of the "Red-Green Alliance." Kerstein characterized this alliance as spearheading the first antisemitic mass movement in American history and described it as portraying itself as a caste of saints.
The article also referenced an incident in Texas where a man was arrested for planning to attack the state capitol building. According to Kerstein, the perpetrator was motivated by murderous antisemitism and cited AIPAC. The author reported that the perpetrator told a friend, "These people have to be exterminated." This incident was included in the opinion piece to illustrate the broader context of antisemitic threats.
Kerstein’s allegations form the central argument of the Oct. 5 opinion piece, which calls for scrutiny of Mamdani’s past statements and policy positions. The piece does not include a response from Mayor Mamdani or his office within the provided text.