In a fiery 30-minute speech<\/a>, Mamdani took aim not just at AIPAC but also Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his handling of the war in Gaza. He claimed that \u201cThe monsters that we are up against, they take many different forms,\u201d and then singled out AIPAC.<\/p>\n He described the major pro-Israel lobby as an organization \u201cfor whom the only thing more frightening than democracy being allowed to run its course is an end to genocide and Netanyahu\u2019s wars.\u201d<\/p>\n Mamdani continued by alleging that AIPAC moves \u201cmillions in dark money<\/a>\u00a0to accomplish a single goal, to preserve their power so that they can turn us against one another instead of our leaders turning towards the moral change we all know to be necessary.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tGet The Times of Israel’s Daily Edition \t\t\t\tBy signing up, you agree to the terms<\/a><\/p>\n AIPAC did not respond to a request for comment about Mamdani\u2019s remarks.<\/p>\n \t The lobby, whose endorsement was once heavily sought by politicians on both sides of the aisle,\u00a0has increasingly come under fire<\/a>\u00a0for its campaign tactics. Pro-Israel Democrats are particularly struggling to hold onto seats as voters on the left increasingly turn against the Jewish state.<\/p>\n Sanders, for his part, doubled down on criticism of AIPAC when he took the stage. \u201cThe American people understand that a large part of our horrific foreign policy is impacted by AIPAC funding,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Turning to the local races, Mamdani voiced support for Valdez for her opposition to Israel. \u201cWhen other Democrats chose to look the other way as Netanyahu committed war crimes, Claire didn\u2019t just name the genocide,\u201d he said. \u201cShe organized for a ceasefire.\u201d<\/p>\n In a change of tone, Mamdani emphasized unity, including an appeal to Jewish voters.<\/p>\n \t \u201cWhether you worship at shul, at a mosque, in a church, a gurdwara, a temple, or you don\u2019t worship at all, we share a belief that our city deserves leaders who lead with hope and not fear,\u201d the mayor said.<\/p>\n He added, \u201cNo matter where we live, how old we are, what train we take in the morning, or what bagel we order, we are New Yorkers and we want the same things,\u201d including \u201ca city that belongs to all of us.\u201d<\/p>\n Mamdani\u2019s characterization of AIPAC came just two days after five men were charged for allegedly plotting to kill government officials and others attending the Ultimate Fighting Championship event at the White House on Sunday. According to federal authorities, a search of one of the suspect\u2019s cell phone revealed that he specifically sought to\u00a0attack lawmakers who received support from AIPAC<\/a>.<\/p>\n On the same day as Mamdani\u2019s remarks, Forrest Kendall Pemberton, 27, of Gainesville, Florida, was indicted by a federal grand jury<\/a> for allegedly trying to carry out a mass shooting against AIPAC employees in Plantation, Florida.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t The war with Iran has been draining for all of us in Israel. But when I heard about a high casualty incident \u2013 ballistic missile impacts in Arad and Dimona that left nearly 200 people wounded \u2013 I drank a cup of coffee, packed a bag, and headed south.<\/p>\n There, I spoke with Shilgit, the head of an after-school program for underprivileged youth. Standing outside her destroyed center, Shilgit said it was a miracle that no children were hurt and spoke about the community coming together in the hours since.<\/p>\n As a Times of Israel reporter, I\u2019m committed to telling stories of resilience like Shilgit\u2019s. But my colleagues and I can’t do this alone. If you value work like this, please consider joining our reader support group, The Times of Israel Community. Your financial support is essential to keep real human reporting like this going.<\/p>\n \u2014 Stav Levaton, military reporter<\/p>\n \t\t\t
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\n\t\tPro-Palestinian, anti-Israel demonstrators rally outside AIPAC headquarters and the offices of Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand in New York City, February 22, 2024. (Selcuk Acar\/Anadolu via Getty Images\/ via JTA)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26170036475612-640x400.jpg\")
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\n\t\tDemocratic congressional candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier speaks during a Get Out The Vote rally ahead of New York\u2019s primary election, Thursday, June 18, 2026, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. (AP Photo\/Ryan Murphy)<\/p>\n
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