Maariv: Mamdani’s victory embodies Israel’s nightmare scenario

The Hebrew newspaper Maariv described scenes in New York following Zohran Mamdani’s election as the city’s mayor as “frightening moments”, saying the event reflects “Israel’s nightmare scenario” after a politician known for his anti-occupation stance assumed one of the most important posts in the United States.

The paper reported that hundreds of Mamdani’s supporters gathered outside his campaign headquarters in New York after his victory was announced, chanting “Free Palestine”.

In his speech, Mamdani declared that “New York will no longer be a city that profits from Islamophobia,” stressing his commitment to building a city that “firmly stands with New York’s Jewish community and opposes antisemitism.”

Maariv added that Mamdani, who has become New York’s first Muslim mayor, is known for his strong positions against the occupation. He had previously stated that he does not consider it a Jewish state, defended “the Palestinians’ right to resist”, expressed his support for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, and once vowed that he “would arrest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he visited the city.”