A Referendum on Israel in New York

Francis Fukuyama, the prominent American neoconservative and author of The End of History, said in a recent interview that Israel is losing public support in both the U.S. and Europe. According to Fukuyama, the real issue for Israel is “young Americans.” He stressed that the backlash among this demographic in response to what’s happening in Gaza is likely to be long-lasting. “This won’t immediately jeopardize U.S. military or economic support for Israel,” he said, “but it will gradually erode it in the long term.”

Fukuyama pointed out that Israel has now become caught in America’s partisan divide, enjoying staunch support from conservative Republicans and facing growing opposition from the progressive wing of the Democratic Party. He added that this trend is unlikely to reverse, and warned that the real threat for Israel is the potential election of a future U.S. president from the Democratic Party who would be less sympathetic toward Tel Aviv. He also noted that secular, liberal Americans who aren’t Jewish are losing motivation to support Israel.

And it’s not just young Democrats: support for Israel is also eroding among younger Republican voters. While mainstream Democrats avoid discussing it openly, many now acknowledge that the Biden administration’s unconditional support for Israel played a major role in Kamala Harris’ loss in the 2024 presidential election.

The Democratic primaries for the New York mayoral race marked a new chapter in the internal battle between “young progressives” and “centrist Democrats.” One of the most talked-about candidates was 33-year-old Zohran Mamdani, a Muslim American of Indian-Ugandan heritage and current State Assembly member. Mamdani defeated former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo—who also previously served as state attorney general and was a cabinet member under Bill Clinton.

Centrist Democrats rallied behind Cuomo, who is a staunch supporter of Israel and has even served as a lawyer for Benjamin Netanyahu. But Cuomo’s backers weren’t just from the Democratic mainstream; they also included pro-Trump billionaires like Bill Ackman. In a smear campaign, Mamdani was branded “anti-Semitic” for condemning Israel’s war on Gaza. Mamdani had also vowed that, if elected mayor, he would pursue legal action to arrest Netanyahu should he visit New York.

Even in New York—home to the second-largest Jewish population in the world after Tel Aviv—the intense campaign to paint Mamdani as anti-Semitic failed to produce the desired result. In fact, Mamdani received significant support from anti-Zionist Jews. Analysts say the results reflect a growing indifference among New York voters to the usual arguments used to shield Israel from criticism.

The New York primary effectively became a mini-referendum on Israel. A headline from Politico’s June 17 report captured the mood: “Cuomo for Israel, Mamdani for Palestine.” That title alone was enough to sum up what the race had come to represent.

Mamdani’s victory infuriated pro-Israel neocons and anti-immigrant Trump supporters alike. Neocon commentators even accused Mamdani—a self-described democratic socialist in the American tradition—of being an Islamist. Some called for his deportation, despite the fact that he has been a U.S. citizen since 2018. Trump himself lashed out on social media: “It’s done. The Democrats have crossed the line. Zohran Mamdani, a 100% Communist lunatic, just won the Democratic primary and is now on his way to becoming mayor.”

Right-wing radio host Matt Walsh lamented, “New York has fallen less than 25 years after 9/11.” He also pointed out that 40% of the city’s population is foreign-born. Meanwhile, Stephen Miller—architect of Trump’s immigration policies—posted on X (formerly Twitter): “New York is the clearest warning of what happens to a society that loses control of its borders.”

Mamdani’s upset win is now seen as a turning point in the ongoing struggle between young progressives and centrist Democrats. Senator Elizabeth Warren, one of the prominent Democrats who backed Mamdani alongside Bernie Sanders, said: “Zohran’s inspiring campaign showed what grassroots movements can achieve when we fight for bold policies.”