A new report reveals a significant portion of New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s chosen administrative team has connections to groups openly critical of Zionism. The analysis, conducted by an organization dedicated to combating antisemitism, identifies at least 20 percent of appointees with these affiliations.
The investigation uncovered over 80 individuals within the 400-plus appointees who either have direct links to organizations characterized as anti-Zionist or possess a documented history of making statements critical of Israel. Groups identified include Students for Justice in Palestine, Jewish Voice for Peace, and Within Our Lifetime, a New York City-based group known for demonstrations.
Alarmingly, the report details ties between at least four appointees and Louis Farrakhan, the controversial leader of the Nation of Islam, whose rhetoric has been widely condemned as antisemitic. One individual, Jacques Léandre, reportedly attended a conference where Farrakhan made disparaging remarks about Jewish people and their influence.
Further scrutiny revealed statements from several appointees appearing to support or even justify the violence that unfolded on October 7th. Kazi Fouzia, for example, posted on social media shortly after the attacks, stating that “Resistance is Justified when people are occupied,” accompanied by footage from a Manhattan protest.
The report highlights a pattern of public hostility towards Zionism among various appointees. Fahd Ahmed allegedly labeled “Zionism is racism,” while Ruha Benjamin reportedly signed a statement asserting Israel was “ideologically founded on Jewish supremacy.” Other appointees used even more inflammatory language.
Zakiyah Shaakir-Ansari allegedly shared a photograph of herself at a protest encampment displaying a symbol associated with Hamas, accompanied by the phrase “LONG LIVE THE RESISTANCE.” This visual association raises serious questions about the perspectives held by those selected for key positions.
The analysis also found that at least twelve appointees publicly supported anti-Israel campus encampments this past spring, with at least five actively participating in the protests. One appointee, Gianpaolo Baiocchi, was arrested at an NYU encampment and subsequently claimed no hate speech was present.
However, the organization disputes this claim, pointing to flyers distributed at the encampment that contained explicitly threatening messages, including calls for “Death to Israeli Real Estate” and “Death to America.” These materials paint a disturbing picture of the environment within the protests.
While Mamdani has previously stated his opposition to antisemitism, the report emphasizes that a significant number of his appointees have not voiced similar concerns. The organization did acknowledge that at least 25 individuals expressed support for the Jewish community.
Despite these expressions of support, the report concludes that many of Mamdani’s Transition Committee appointments appear inconsistent with his stated commitment to prioritizing the safety and well-being of New York City’s Jewish community. The findings raise serious questions about the direction of the incoming administration.
