Mamdani’s Tisha B’Av Message Draws Sharp Criticism Over Israel Omission

The greeting raises questions about consistency with his past anti‑Israel activism after his public vow to pursue an ICC arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu.

Overview

Mayor Zohran Mamdani posted a short Tisha B'Av message wishing Jewish New Yorkers a peaceful and meaningful fast on Wednesday.
Critics seized on the message’s failure to mention Israel, Jerusalem, or the destruction of the Temples and called the omission striking given the holiday’s focus on those events.
The greeting arrived within 24 hours of a video in which Mamdani called Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a "war criminal" and said he would seek the ICC arrest warrant if legally possible while acknowledging city limits on enforcement.
Commentators and Jewish communal leaders, including conservative pundits and an educators’ group, publicly rebuked Mamdani and urged the NYPD to boost security at synagogues and Jewish institutions during the fast.
Legal and political reality limits follow‑through on the arrest pledge because the United States is not an ICC member, and current coverage is focused on partisan commentary rather than any city legal action.