Israel's Global Reach: When a City Election Becomes a "Jewish Emergency"
How Israel claims to speak for all Jews and frames every political development as a matter of Jewish survival
(If you’ve received this article by email, please click on the title to read the latest version. I often continue to edit and correct typos after publishing the first version).
The Israeli media are awash with triumphalism and exaggerations of Israel’s ‘achievements’ since launching its unprovoked attack on Iran. The gleeful boasts about all the significant Iranian figures that Israel has ‘eliminated’ are particularly nauseating. When I studied the politics of genocide, I learned about the tendency of genocidal and authoritarian regimes to employ euphemisms to cover up for the real meaning of what they do. Israel, for instance, refers to the murder of the people it targets in Iran as ‘elimination’ (חיסול)—a dehumanising term that reduces human beings to mere objects to be disposed of. Meanwhile, the media describes the twenty-nine Israelis who died in Iran’s retaliatory missile attacks as having been ‘murdered’ (נרצחו). Israeli society consistently dehumanises and objectifies those it considers enemies, with the implicit message that only Israelis are human and only their lives truly matter.
The Israeli media dutifully report Netanyahu’s boasts that the Israeli military achieved all its intended objectives. Observers may have noticed that when Israel still believed it would finally secure the major war it has coveted for decades, the narrative began shifting from eliminating Iran’s alleged ‘nuclear threat’ to pursuing ‘regime change’. This latter term is itself a euphemism for transforming Iran into another US client state—one that would support Israel and shut-up about the Palestinians.
Now that the US has stepped back from an all-out war with Iran on Israel’s behalf—essentially abandoning its ally—the narrative is reverting to the supposed nuclear threat that never actually existed. I am, of course, relieved that the bombing has stopped for now. My heart breaks whenever I witness suffering anywhere, regardless of who the victims are. There are only human beings in our species, and we are all kin.
Israel ought to have known better than to trust the Narcissist-in-Chief. It has always understood that it couldn’t take on Iran without direct US military support—Israeli media have been explicit about this. But Trump’s support is mercurial, shifting with his narcissistic impulses and his perception of personal benefit in any given situation. He declared an unexpected ceasefire just as suddenly as he authorised strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities. He wouldn’t hesitate to abandon Israel in pursuit of a ‘deal’ with Iran, because he simply doesn’t care about anyone except himself and his predatory need for admiration and glory.
When Trump realised the extent of discontent in his MAGA base over his decision to attack Iran, he simply chose to abandon Israel and its war aims. Narcissists crave control and despise feeling manipulated by others. I’ve long wondered how quickly Trump would realise he was being played by Israel—and it appears that moment is arriving. When he blurted out, “they don't know what the f*** they’re doing”, I suspect we caught a glimpse of this realisation. Israelis may be cunning and ruthless, but I doubt they’ll continue succeeding against Trump’s spectacular narcissism. Indeed, no one will. Just as Israel remains single-mindedly focused on completing its settler-colonial project and eliminating all Palestinian presence from historic Palestine, Trump is equally obsessed with securing his narcissistic supply.
Meanwhile, as the trumpets of ‘victory’ and ’triumphalism’ sound and Israeli children return to school, the relentless pounding of Gaza continues unabated, along with its accompanying carnage and war crimes. The push towards annexing the colonised West Bank also proceeds at full pace. Crucially, annexation doesn’t mean accepting the Palestinian population as equal Israeli citizens—Israel’s goal has always been to secure ‘all the land without the people’.
As formal annexation approaches, so does the ethnic cleansing—the forced removal of Palestinians from their homes and ancestral lands. My suspicion (and this remains speculation for now) is that Israel plans to relocate Palestinians forcefully, from the West Bank and from within Israel proper to the areas of Syria and Lebanon that Israel now controls, following sustained bombing campaigns and arrangements with Syria’s new regime.
Below is a translation of an article from Yediot Ahronot about the elections for the Democratic nominee for the NYC mayoral elections. I am sharing it because it offers further insight into Israel’s psychology and the way it operates. Israel frames the election of a city’s mayor—not a head of state—who isn’t an Israel sycophant, as an “emergency” not just for Israel but for ‘the Jews’. Mamdani, Israel’s nemesis, has now won the elections in NYC by a comfortable majority, which will no doubt propel Israel to go to plan B: making Mamdani’s life difficult and disrupting his work.
As you read the article, please note that while everyone I know is so careful to always say ‘Zionists’, not ‘Jews’, Israel itself employs no such caution. Israel insists that it represents, speaks for, and acts on behalf of all Jews worldwide. It doesn’t care that many Jews are not Zionists and fiercely oppose Israel and its settler-colonial goals. Israel would love all Jews to be implicated in its crimes in the hope that they will be attacked by genuine racists who hate Jews for being Jews, aka real antisemites. Israel hopes it will teach them not to turn their backs on Israel, the only ‘safe haven’ for ‘Jews’. Following a tirade of abuse about my lack of principles and values and my betrayal of ‘my people’, an Israeli Rabbi told me a few years ago: “…but we will take you back when they come for you.”
To be clear, the only reason for Israel’s insatiable need to control key people and the narrative is so that it can continue the settler-colonial project and the removal of the Palestinians, which is Israel’s ultimate goal. In advancing this goal no person or organisation is too small for Israel to be concerned about. As Ilan Pappé points out in his new book, Lobbying for Zionism on Both Sides of the Atlantic:
“…the Israeli lobby insists on being present, in town halls, schools, churches, synagogues, community centres and campuses on both sides of the Atlantic. In 2024, Israel will not allow any show of solidarity with the Palestinians in Britain and the US, even by one person, to escape its radar, and will do all it can to push for the dismissal of every person who condemns its ethical violations and the proscription of every organisation calling for boycotts, divestment and sanctions. It will brand these activities as anti-Semitic and tantamount to Holocaust denial. In essence, this is the work of an aggressive lobby that began its political advocacy for Israel in the mid-nineteenth century and still continues today. There are not many states, if there are any others at all, frenetically trying to convince the world and their own citizens that their existence is legitimate.” (p.ix).
Please be aware that YNet keep changing the article. The translation you have here is based on the version available on 25th June 2025 @ 11:21 UK time.
“Emergency Hour for Jews": Close Battle for New York City Mayoralty
Daniel Adelson, New York | yesterday, 24th June 2025 (Yediot Ahronot)
New York’s polling stations opened today (Tuesday) for the city’s mayoral and council primary elections. The focus is on the tight race between former Governor Andrew Cuomo and State Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, the anti-Israeli candidate who has rapidly surged in the polls and is causing concern within the Jewish and Israeli community in the city.
The latest Emerson poll showed Cuomo leading with 35% of the vote, whilst Mamdani is close behind with 32%. Mamdani has effectively narrowed the gap with Cuomo, after the latter led by 12% in a poll at the beginning of the month. The poll indicates that approximately 11% of voters have yet to decide.
In the ranked-choice voting simulation (New York’s complicated electoral system, where voters rank candidates in order of preference, and votes from those eliminated in the first round are transferred to their next preferred candidate), Mamdani even overtakes Cuomo in the eighth and final round - with 51.8% compared to 48.2%.
The Veteran versus the Newcomer
In conversation with YNet, Cuomo warned of the possible implications of a Mamdani victory: “Mamdani is a silver-spoon socialist who has adopted an extreme radical left anti-Israeli agenda, supports defunding the police, and has lost the support of most New York residents”. According to him, Donald Trump would cut through Mamdani “like a hot knife through butter”, and would make the city his own if he [Mamdani] is elected as mayor.
“New York City is in crisis, and it needs a leader with proven experience of achievement. New Yorkers aren't foolish - they know I'm the only one who has served as Housing Secretary, Attorney General and Governor, and I have the experience required to save the city and make it safer and more accessible. Every credible poll conducted in this election campaign—including two published last week - shows a double-digit advantage in my favour, and that's exactly where the election will end today. Until then, we’ll continue fighting for every vote, just as I'll fight for every resident as mayor”.
Cuomo, who was forced to resign in 2021 following allegations of sexual harassment which he vehemently denies, has managed to return to centre stage by rallying support from senior Democratic Party figures, including former President Bill Clinton and former Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Mamdani, by contrast, positions himself as the complete opposite: a representative of the new generation, an enthusiastic socialist and social media activist with a background as a protest rapper and a viral TikTok account. He has won support from Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and is seen by many as her male equivalent. He has overtaken the Jewish candidate Brad Lander, who was previously considered the standout progressive star in the race, and has received a tailwind from The New York Times—although the newspaper has not declared official support for any candidate.
The latest Emerson poll showed Cuomo leading with 35% of the vote, whilst Mamdani is close behind with 32%. Mamdani has effectively narrowed the gap with Cuomo, after the latter led by 12% in a poll at the beginning of the month. The poll indicates that approximately 11% of voters have yet to decide.
Despite concerns in the Jewish community about Mamdani's election, a recent poll found that approximately 20% of Jewish voters actually support him - a not insignificant percentage that indicates a fracture in traditional voting patterns and the strengthening of the progressive stream in the city. If Cuomo represents the old guard - with establishment support, experience from state governance and an image as “the responsible adult”—Mamdani is the answer from the younger generation: a candidate with roots in minority communities and a more radical approach to state institutions. If elected, the 67-year-old Cuomo would be the oldest mayor ever chosen. The 33-year-old Mamdani could be not only the youngest, but also the first Muslim in the role.
The War That Sharpened the Divisions
Early voting turnout this week was lower than expected, and Cuomo’s campaign expresses concern about a late surge of young voters who identify with Mamdani—particularly given the discourse surrounding Gaza. In recent days, Cuomo has intensified his efforts in neighbourhoods like Harlem and the Bronx, where Black communities and immigrants reside—audiences not considered his natural strongholds. Meanwhile, Mamdani’s headquarters reports awakening in the field: extensive volunteer recruitment, hundreds of street activities and a sense of mission among young activists for whom this is their first time participating in political activity.
The war between Israel and Iran and the American attack on nuclear facilities at the weekend only sharpened the divisions between the two, but also united them against a common enemy - Trump. Mamdani sharply condemned the move and claimed that “Trump’s administration prefers to spend trillions of dollars on weapons instead of lifting millions out of poverty, opening endless wars whilst silencing calls for peace, and sowing fear of foreigners, whilst billionaires are destroying democracy from within". Cuomo supported the operation's objectives and said that a nuclear Iran is dangerous not only to Israel but also to the United States and the entire world. However, he warned of security implications for the city and the manner in which the operation was carried out - without Congressional approval. “Trump has again shown that he doesn't think he needs to operate according to the rules”. He seized the opportunity to send a barb to the young Mamdani: “Who do you want managing the city in such a situation?”, he asked. “Someone who has already dealt with hurricanes, with coronavirus, with terrorist threats— or someone for whom this would be their first lesson on the job?”
Concerned about the narrowing gap, rabbis, businesspeople and Jewish and Israeli activists launched a campaign encouraging voting for Cuomo, with street posters, dedicated WhatsApp groups and sermons in synagogues. “This is an emergency hour for our community”, Leah, an Upper West Side resident and mother of four who hosted an online voting seminar for Cuomo, tells YNet. “This bastard is a danger to our values and our sense of security. This isn't just politics - it's a survival instinct”. One seminar participant, Judah, a Crown Heights, Brooklyn resident, said that “this isn't just a matter of foreign policy. Someone who can't condemn attacks on Jews abroad won't protect them here either”. Many expressed a sense of disconnection from the Democratic Party. “The party we grew up with is changing before our eyes”, said Judah.
Whether he wins or not, Mamdani has become a symbolic figure of generational and values-based change in the city: a young generation, critical of Israel, suspicious of the establishment and activist in the local arena. The winner of the race will face incumbent Mayor Eric Adams in November, who is now running as an independent candidate after severing ties with the Democratic Party. Adams, previously considered beloved by the Jewish community, has lost standing following corruption investigations and his proximity to Donald Trump - including a pardon he received from him. In the latest Emerson poll, he received only 15% of the vote.
From Kibbutz Shoval to the Big Apple
Alongside the mayoral elections, city council elections are also being held today. In one of Brooklyn’s central districts—home to approximately 200,000 residents, including Senator Chuck Schumer —a particularly charged confrontation is taking place: on one side is the incumbent representative, the Muslim Shahana Hanif, who has criticised Israel, participated in campus protests and faces criticism from Jewish voters over lukewarm responses to antisemitism in the city. Opposing her is Mia Kornberg (33)—daughter of a Nobel Prize-winning family, who previously lived on Kibbutz Shoval, is married to Israeli Noam and mother to eight-month-old Li-am*. Alongside support from progressive and moderate voices, Kornberg enjoys a tailwind from the city’s conservative media, led by the New York Post, which frequently promotes her candidacy.
The confrontation between the two perhaps reflects more than anything the fault line in Park Slope, a neighbourhood previously considered a definitive progressive stronghold - and now one of the city’s main focal points where discourse surrounding Israel and Gaza has become particularly explosive. “Too many residents in District 39 feel unheard and unrepresented” Kornberg told YNet. “People don’t feel that Hanif listens to them or represents them. There's no response here regarding basic services and even more worryingly, there’s no response regarding antisemitic incidents here in the neighbourhood. We deserve better, and people are yearning for change”.
*This is my comment: The baby’s name is not the known Irish name Liam. In Hebrew Li’am means something like, ‘my nation’. Everything to these people is about Israel and so-called Jewish nationalism. They really live in an insular psychological, and to some extent also physical, bubble.
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I wonder whether Israeli hasbara and smear campaigns will become increasingly subject to the law of diminishing returns as the world finally recognises the criminal, racist entity for what it is?
Israel and its American thug will violate the ceasefire as soon as Israel has time to reload. Iran will be ritually blamed. This is just regrouping, that is all.
Expect Cuomo to run in the general to make sure Mamdani loses (by splitting the Team D ticket) combined with an all-out propaganda blitz, much of which will have no obvious connection to Israel or Palestine.