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NEW YORK (AP) 性视界传媒� In choosing as their candidate for mayor, Democrats in America性视界传媒檚 most Jewish city have nominated an outspoken critic of Israel, alarming some in New York's Jewish community and signaling a sea change in the priorities of one of the party's most loyal voting groups.

The 33-year-old democratic socialist's against former Gov. makes clear that taking a stance against Israel is no longer disqualifying in a Democratic primary. The state Assembly member has declined to support the right of Israel to exist as a Jewish state, refused to denounce the term 性视界传媒済lobal intifada" and supports an organized effort to put economic pressure on Israel through boycotts and other tactics.

Yet he excelled in the city with the largest Jewish population outside of Israel, and with the support of many Jewish voters.

Mamdani's success reflects the ideological realignment of many American Jews since the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas on Israel that led to Israel's invasion of Gaza. Many Democratic voters, including Jews, have grown dismayed by Israel性视界传媒檚 conduct in the war and are deeply critical of Israeli Prime Minister . That is especially true among younger, more progressive voters, many of whom have rejected the once-broadly accepted notion that anti-Israel sentiment is inherently antisemitic.

For others, Mamdani's showing has spurred new fears about safety and the waning influence of Jewish voters in a city where anti-Jewish hate crime has surged. Last year, Jews were the target of of the hate crimes in the city.

性视界传媒淒efinitely people are concerned," said Rabbi Shimon Hecht, of Congregation B性视界传媒檔ai Jacob in Brooklyn, who said he has heard from congregants in recent days who hope Mamdani will be beaten in the November general election, where he will face Mayor Eric Adams, who is running as an independent, Republican Curtis Sliwa, and possibly Cuomo, if he stays in the race.

性视界传媒淚 think like every upsetting election, it性视界传媒檚 a wake-up call for people,性视界传媒� Hecht said. 性视界传媒淚 strongly believe that he will not be elected as our next mayor, but it's going to take a lot of uniting among the Jewish people and others who are concerned about these issues. We have to unify."

Veteran New York Democratic political strategist Hank Sheinkopf put it more bluntly, predicting a hasty exodus of religious Jews from the city and a decline in long-standing Jewish influence that would be replicated elsewhere.

性视界传媒淚t性视界传媒檚 the end of Jewish New York as we know it,性视界传媒� he said, adding: 性视界传媒淣ew York is a petri dish for national Democratic politics. And what happened here is what will likely happen in cities across the country."

Israel was a key campaign issue

Mamdani性视界传媒檚 top Democratic rival, the former governor, had called antisemitism and support for Israel "the most important issue性视界传媒� of the campaign.

Mamdani's backers repeatedly accused Cuomo of trying to weaponize the issue. Many drew parallels to the way Republican President has cast any criticism of Israel's actions as antisemitic, claiming 性视界传媒渉ate Israel" and their own religion.

For some Mamdani supporters, the election results signaled a rejection by voters of one of Cuomo性视界传媒檚 arguments: that an upstart socialist with pro-Palestinian views posed a threat to New York性视界传媒檚 Jewish community.

Many were focused on issues such as affordability in a notoriously expensive city, or flat-out opposed to Cuomo, who was forced to amid sexual harassment allegations.

Aiyana Leong Knauer, a 35-year-old Brooklyn bartender who is Jewish and backed Mamdani, said the vote represented 性视界传媒淣ew Yorkers, many of them Jewish, saying we care more about having an affordable city than sowing division.性视界传媒�

性视界传媒淢any of us take really deep offense to our history being weaponized against us,性视界传媒� she said. 性视界传媒淛ewish people all over the world have well-founded fears for their safety, but Jews in New York are safe overall.性视界传媒�

Others agreed with Mamdani's views on Israel.

Beth Miller, political director of Jewish Voice for Peace Action, an anti-Zionist, progressive group that worked on Mamdani's behalf, said Mamdani 性视界传媒渨as actually pretty popular among a lot of Jewish voters."

性视界传媒淭hat is not in spite of his support for Palestinian rights. That is because of his support for Palestinian rights,性视界传媒� she said. 性视界传媒淭here has been a massive rupture within the Jewish community and more and more Jews of all generations, but especially younger generations,性视界传媒� she said, now refuse to be tied to what they see as a rogue government committing atrocities against civilians.

Polls show support for Israel has declined since the war began. Overall, a slight majority of Americans now express a 性视界传媒渟omewhat性视界传媒� or 性视界传媒渧ery性视界传媒� unfavorable opinion of Israel, according to a March , compared with 42% in 2022. Democrats性视界传媒� views are particularly negative, with nearly 70% holding an unfavorable opinion versus less than 40% of Republicans.

Beyond the mayoral race

Mamdani's wasn't the only race where Israel was on voters' minds.

In Brooklyn, City Councilwoman Shahana Hanif, who represents Park Slope and surrounding areas, drew criticism for her Palestinian advocacy. Some said she had failed to respond forcefully to antisemitic incidents in the district.

Yet Hanif, the first Muslim woman elected to the City Council, her top challenger, Maya Kornberg, who is Jewish, despite an influx of money from wealthy, pro-Israel groups and donors.

That outcome dismayed Ramon Maislen, a developer who launched Brooklyn BridgeBuilders to oppose Hanif's reelection and said antisemitism did not seem to resonate with voters.

性视界传媒淲e were very disappointed with our neighbors' response," he said.

While campaigning against Hanif, he said he was routinely screamed at by residents and accused of supporting genocide.

性视界传媒淚 think that those of us in the Jewish community that are attuned to that are cognizant that there's been some kind of cultural sea change that性视界传媒檚 occurring," he said. 性视界传媒淲hat we性视界传媒檙e seeing is a legitimatization of hatred that isn性视界传媒檛 happening in any other liberal or progressive space."

Mamdani's record and rhetoric

Mamdani has repeatedly pledged to fight antisemitism, including during where he was grilled on his stance. He was joined on the show by city comptroller and fellow candidate Brad Lander, the city's highest-ranking Jewish official, who had cross-endorsed him. He has also said he would for anti-hate crime programming by 800%.

But many of his comments have angered Jewish groups and officials, most notably his refusal to disavow the phrase 性视界传媒済lobalize the intifada," which has been used as a slogan in recent protests. Many Jews see it as a call to violence against Israeli civilians. In a , Mamdani said the phrase captured a 性视界传媒渁 desperate desire for equality and equal rights in standing up for Palestinian human rights."

Given another opportunity to condemn the phrase, Mamdani on Sunday told NBC's 性视界传媒淢eet the Press性视界传媒� that it was not his role to police speech and he pledged to be a mayor who 性视界传媒減rotects Jewish New Yorkers and lives up to that commitment through the work that I do.性视界传媒�

Mamdani also supports the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, which aims to pressure governments, schools and other institutions to boycott Israeli products, divest from companies that support the country, and impose sanctions. The Anti-Defamation League antisemitic and part of a broader campaign to "delegitimize and isolate the State of Israel.性视界传媒�

Mamdani has also said that, as mayor, he if the Israeli leader tried to enter the city.

The ADL warned candidates and their supporters not to use "language playing into dangerous antisemitic canards that time and time again have been used to incite hatred and violence against Jews.性视界传媒�

In , Mamdani alluded to the criticism he'd received and said he would not abandon his beliefs. But he also said he would "reach further to understand the perspectives of those with whom I disagree and to wrestle deeply with those disagreements.性视界传媒�

___ Associated Press writer Jake Offenhartz contributed to this report.