New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani unveiled a plan to combat anti-Semitism and hate crimes against Jewish people in the city on Tuesday.
The plan includes increased security funding for synagogues, more public education and support for important Jewish cultural and religious sites.
“Together, we will ensure Jewish New Yorkers are safe and celebrated. We will invest in their protection, their history, and their future. Our safety and our thriving are tied together,” Mamdani wrote on X.
He said Jewish people made up only 12% of New York City’s population but anti-Semitic hate crimes accounted for more than half of the city’s reported hate crimes.
“This is not only unacceptable, it’s something we all have an obligation to change and City Hall will lead the way,” he said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spent a portion of his speech at the UN General Assembly last week slamming Mamdani, calling him the “anti-Semitic mayor of New York.”
Mamdani’s outspoken criticism of Israel has drawn opposition from parts of New York’s diverse Jewish community. He is one of the most prominent pro-Palestinian politicians in the US.
During his election campaign last year, Mamdani said he would seek to have Netanyahu arrested based on a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court in 2024 – if the Israeli leader ever visited New York.
Mamdani has since acknowledged that, as mayor, he does not have the authority to carry out the arrest.