Israel Day parade: NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani does not attend, cites Palestinian rights

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani skipped the annual parade honouring Israel on Sunday. The move ended a long political practice in the city. Mamdani linked the decision to support for Palestinian rights. Mamdani still said police would secure the event. The parade drew large crowds on Fifth Avenue.

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The event, often called the Israel Day parade, marked Israel’s creation in 1948. For decades, mayors and other leaders usually attended to meet supporters. Mamdani did not follow that pattern. The city’s police commissioner, Jessica Tisch, attended instead. Jessica Tisch appeared at the parade as planned.

Zohran Mamdani and Israel Day parade absence

Mamdani said the decision was not new or sudden. "I said on the campaign trail that I wouldnt be attending the parade, and Ive made my views on the Israeli government abundantly clear,\" Mamdani said on Thursday. Mamdani also said the city would ensure order. Mamdani promised a strong police presence.

Jessica Tisch, who is Jewish, spoke beside Mamdani at police headquarters. \"It is the mayors decision not to march, and it is my decision to march proudly,\" Jessica Tisch had said on Thursday. The split choice highlighted different approaches inside City Hall. The parade still received official police support.

Zohran Mamdani Nakba video and criticism

Two weeks earlier, the mayor’s office released a video marking the Nakba. The word means catastrophe in Arabic. It refers to Palestinian displacement during the 1948 war. The video said about 700,000 Palestinians were displaced. It followed the war that came after Israel’s establishment.

The video included a personal account from Inea Bushnaq. It described displacement at age 9 and a lasting sense of loss. The video also used text to explain the Nakba. \"its the soft hills of Palestine that actually touched me.\" \"Ive lived in different places, and Ive always been an outsider,\" said Inea Bushnaq.

Supporters of Israel reacted with anger to the video. Some said it missed key context from the same period. They wanted mention of Jewish displacement from Muslim-majority countries. They also cited the Holocaust’s role in driving support for a Jewish state. Some Jewish leaders repeated those concerns.

Zohran Mamdani reactions and antisemitism claims

Mamdani’s expected absence still sparked attacks from political opponents. Some opponents said Mamdani’s criticism of the Israeli government was antisemitic. Rabbi Marc Schneier strongly condemned the decision. Rabbi Marc Schneier leads The Hampton Synagogue on Long Island. Rabbi Marc Schneier also heads the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding.

Rabbi Marc Schneier called the absence deeply offensive to Jewish residents. \"Do us a favor, stay home,\" Rabbi Marc Schneier said. \"We dont need you. We dont want you.\" Rabbi Marc Schneier also called the Nakba video propaganda. Rabbi Marc Schneier said it left out important historical context.

Zohran Mamdani stance as New York City mayor

New York City has the largest Jewish population in the United States. Mayors have often backed Israel and visited the country. The report said support for Israel among Americans has fallen in recent years. The decline grew faster amid outrage over Israeli military action in Gaza. Those shifts formed the background to the dispute.

Mamdani, described as the city’s first Muslim mayor, kept a pro-Palestinian stance. Mamdani said Israel has a right to exist. Mamdani also said it should not operate as a hierarchy favouring Jewish citizens. Mamdani pledged to protect Jewish New Yorkers. Mamdani highlighted the city’s Office to Combat Antisemitism.

With inputs from PTI