What happened
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has stated that individuals who do not believe Israel should exist as a Jewish state are antisemites. This definition could encompass Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed, who have both been critical of Israel.
Schumer made these comments during a New York Public Library event in May 2025, where he discussed his book on antisemitism in America. He emphasized that being anti-Zionist, or not believing the Jewish people should have a state, is a form of antisemitism.
Mamdani has faced condemnation for his views on Israel, including declining to say whether Israel should exist as a Jewish state. He has also accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza and called for the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for alleged war crimes.
El-Sayed, a Senate candidate, has reframed the question of Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state, stating that he disputes the idea of an ethno-state. He has also pivoted when asked about Israel's right to exist, instead focusing on the question of whether Palestinians have a right to exist.
