‘Not Acceptable’: Dem Leader Jeffries Says Zohran Mamdani Still Has to ‘Clarify His Position’ on Intifada Slogan

New York Democrat and House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries called the slogan “globalize the intifada” not “acceptable phrasing” when asked about the controversy surrounding the winner of the New York City Democratic mayoral primary last week, seemingly unsatisfied with the candidate’s answers on the subject to date.

Jeffries appeared on the latest This Week from ABC News, and was asked by host Jon Karl about several controversial subjects related to self-declared Democratic-Socialist Zohran Mamdani, who beat out former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo to win the Democrats’ mayoral primary.

Mamdani declined to condemn the phrase “globalize the intifada” when asked about it on a podcast in the days before the vote, and has since been pressed on that and other comments related to Israel and anti-Semitism. Among those instances, he appeared on Sunday’s Meet the Press from NBC News and refused three more times to condemn the phrase when asked repeatedly by host Kristen Welker.

Speaking with Jeffries about the NYC race, and its implications nationwide for Democrats, Karl introduced the subject by saying, “You mentioned the diversity of your district, including a lot of Jewish constituents. Mamdani has made comments that some have said veer towards anti-Semitism.”

“His initial statement after October 7th, he criticized the Israeli government but didn’t criticize Hamas. He defended the use of the word globalize — or the phrase “globalize intifada”. And he even said that the Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu should be arrested — or he would if he were mayor, he would arrest Netanyahu if he visited New York City,” Karl summarized. “Do these things concern you?”

Jeffries replied that the slogan in question, heard often at anti-Israel protests, “is not an acceptable phrasing.”

“He’s going to have to clarify his position on that as he moves forward,” Jeffries said of Mamdani, whom he did not endorse ahead of the vote, seemingly suggesting that the candidate’s many answers on the subject to date have been inadequate.

Jeffries continued, adding that, “With respect to the Jewish communities that I represent, I think our nominee is going to have to convince folks that he is prepared to aggressively address the rise in anti-Semitism in the city of New York, which has been an unacceptable development.”

Mamdani was called out by fellow New York Democrat Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand for failing to speak against such slogans, and he faced stark criticism from brother of the defeated former governor, talk host and commentator Chris Cuomo.

He was equally fiercely defended against “vile, anti-Muslim and racist smears” by fellow Democrats Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Rep. Andre Carson of Indiana, and Rep. Lateefah Simon of California in a statement released Friday.

KARL: You mentioned the diversity of your district, including a lot of Jewish constituents. Mamdani has made comments that some have said veer towards anti-Semitism.

His initial statement after October 7th, he criticized the Israeli government but didn’t criticize Hamas. He defended the use of the word globalize — or the phrase “globalize intifada”. And he even said that the Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu should be arrested — or he would if he were mayor, he would arrest Netanyahu if he visited New York City.

Do these things concern you?

JEFFRIES: Globalizing the intifada, by way of example, is not an acceptable phrasing. He’s going to have to clarify his position on that as he moves forward.

With respect to the Jewish communities that I represent, I think our nominee is going to have to convince folks that he is prepared to aggressively address the rise in anti-Semitism in the city of New York, which has been an unacceptable development. And any mayor, whether you’re a Democratic mayor, a Republican mayor, an independent mayor, has got to commit to the safety and well-being of all of the people of the city of New York. And when there are moments of crisis and a rise in anti-Jewish hate, that’s a threshold, of course, that needs to be crossed.

Watch the clip above via This Week from ABC News.