Mamdani Refuses to Condemn ‘Intifada’ When Pressed by Kristen Welker: ‘Why Not Just Condemn It?’

WELKER You were recently ░░░░░░░░ about the term globalize ░░░░░░░░ intifada if it makes ░░░░░░░░ uncomfortable In that moment ░░░░░░░░ did not condemn the ░░░░░░░░ Now just so folks ░░░░░░░░ it s a phrase ░░░░░░░░ many people hear as ░░░░░░░░ call to violence against ░░░░░░░░ There s been a ░░░░░░░░ of attention on this ░░░░░░░░ so I want to ░░░░░░░░ you an opportunity to ░░░░░░░░ here and now Do ░░░░░░░░ condemn that phrase globalize ░░░░░░░░ intifada MAMDANI That s ░░░░░░░░ language that I use ░░░░░░░░ language that I use ░░░░░░░░ the language that I ░░░░░░░░ continue to use to ░░░░░░░░ this city is that ░░░░░░░░ speaks clearly to my ░░░░░░░░ which is an intent ░░░░░░░░ in a belief in ░░░░░░░░ human rights And ultimately ░░░░░░░░ s what is the ░░░░░░░░ of so much of ░░░░░░░░ politics the belief that ░░░░░░░░ and justice and safety ░░░░░░░░ things that to have ░░░░░░░░ have to be applied ░░░░░░░░ all people and that ░░░░░░░░ Israelis and Palestinians as ░░░░░░░░ WELKER But do you ░░░░░░░░ condemn it I think ░░░░░░░░ s the question and ░░░░░░░░ outstanding issue that a ░░░░░░░░ of people both of ░░░░░░░░ Jewish faith and beyond ░░░░░░░░ Do you condemn that ░░░░░░░░ globalize the intifada which ░░░░░░░░ lot of people hear ░░░░░░░░ a call to violence ░░░░░░░░ Jews MAMDANI I ve ░░░░░░░░ from many Jewish New ░░░░░░░░ who have shared their ░░░░░░░░ with me especially in ░░░░░░░░ of the horrific attacks ░░░░░░░░ we saw in Washington ░░░░░░░░ C and in Boulder ░░░░░░░░ about this moment of ░░░░░░░░ Semitism in our country ░░░░░░░░ in our city and ░░░░░░░░ ve heard those fears ░░░░░░░░ I ve had those ░░░░░░░░ And ultimately they are ░░░░░░░░ and parcel of why ░░░░░░░░ my campaign I ve ░░░░░░░░ forward a commitment to ░░░░░░░░ funding for anti hate ░░░░░░░░ programming by 800 I ░░░░░░░░ t believe that the ░░░░░░░░ of the mayor is ░░░░░░░░ police speech in the ░░░░░░░░ especially of that of ░░░░░░░░ Trump who has put ░░░░░░░░ New Yorker in jail ░░░░░░░░ s just returned to ░░░░░░░░ family Mahmoud Khalil for ░░░░░░░░ very supposed crime of ░░░░░░░░ Ultimately what I think ░░░░░░░░ need to show is ░░░░░░░░ ability to not only ░░░░░░░░ about something but to ░░░░░░░░ it and to make ░░░░░░░░ that there s no ░░░░░░░░ for anti Semitism in ░░░░░░░░ city We have to ░░░░░░░░ out that bigotry and ░░░░░░░░ we do that through ░░░░░░░░ actions And that is ░░░░░░░░ mayor I will be ░░░░░░░░ that protects Jewish New ░░░░░░░░ and lives up to ░░░░░░░░ commitment through the work ░░░░░░░░ I do WELKER But ░░░░░░░░ quickly for the people ░░░░░░░░ care about the language ░░░░░░░░ who feel really concerned ░░░░░░░░ that phrase why not ░░░░░░░░ condemn it MAMDANI My ░░░░░░░░ is to start to ░░░░░░░░ down the line of ░░░░░░░░ and making clear what ░░░░░░░░ I believe is permissible ░░░░░░░░ impermissible takes me into ░░░░░░░░ place similar to that ░░░░░░░░ the president who is ░░░░░░░░ to do those very ░░░░░░░░ of things putting people ░░░░░░░░ jail for writing an ░░░░░░░░ Putting them in jail ░░░░░░░░ protesting Ultimately it s ░░░░░░░░ language that I use ░░░░░░░░ s language I understand ░░░░░░░░ are concerns about And ░░░░░░░░ I will do is ░░░░░░░░ my vision for this ░░░░░░░░ through my words and ░░░░░░░░ actions.”