Enough about Israel: Hochul urges Mamdani to focus on governing New York

New York Governor Kathy Hochul urged Mayor Zohran Mamdani to spend less time attacking Israel and more time governing New York City, as his rhetoric continues to alarm Jewish residents amid elevated levels of antisemitic hate crime.

“Let’s focus on blocking and tackling of city government,” Hochul told The New York Times, pointing to housing and child care as issues that should command the mayor’s attention. She also vowed to “throw my body against any antisemitism.”

The comments followed Mamdani’s viral video acknowledging that he cannot arrest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, despite repeatedly promising to do so. Mamdani has also boycotted the city’s Israel Day Parade and faced criticism for declining during his campaign to condemn the slogan “globalize the intifada.”

The controversy comes as Jews were targeted in 70% of all hate crimes recorded in New York City last month, according to NYPD data, intensifying calls from Jewish leaders for Mamdani to tone down his rhetoric.