Mamdani antisemitism plan funds group linked to anti-Israel advocacy

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's $30 million strategy to combat antisemitism allocates $6.4 million to Partners Against Hate, an organization that partners with the Arab American Association of New York. This financial flow connects the city's hate crime prevention efforts to a group whose executive director has called for a ceasefire in Gaza and criticized U.S. support for Israel. The allocation is part of a broader initiative designed to address rising hate crimes against Jewish communities in the city. According to NYPD reporting, antisemitic acts accounted for roughly 9% of the city's tracked hate crimes in 2026. In the first eight months of 2026, recorded hate crimes increased by 16% compared to the previous year. Of the 181 recorded hate crimes against Jews during this period, 131 were classified as felony offenses. By comparison, 29 incidents were recorded in the "homosexual" category and 21 against Muslims.

Mamdani unveiled the plan earlier this month, stating that his administration has a responsibility to ensure Jewish New Yorkers can live safely and peacefully. The strategy document includes a quote from the mayor emphasizing the city's commitment to standing with Jewish communities as they enter houses of worship and build their lives. The partnership between the city and the Arab American Association of New York is not new; a 2021 press release from then-Mayor Bill de Blasio listed the association as one of six anchor organizations receiving funds through a $3 million grant to Partners Against Hate. De Blasio stated at the time that these organizations would work with city agencies to prevent hate crime through a community-based approach.

Critics argue that the Arab American Association of New York's advocacy activities extend beyond its stated mission to combat racial prejudice. Since 2021, the group has reportedly provided over $223,000 to Council on American-Islamic Relations, New York. The national CAIR organization was named an unindicted co-conspirator in the 2007 Holy Land Foundation terrorism financing case. Marwa Janini, the executive director of the Arab American Association of New York, has pressed for a city council resolution opposing the Israel-Hamas war, citing humanitarian concerns and describing the conflict as a U.S.-funded genocide. During Mamdani's tenure as a state legislator, the group supported his "Not On Our Dime" bill, which sought to restrict New York nonprofit donations to Israeli settlement activity.

The association was formerly led by Linda Sarsour, a co-founder of the Women's March who was pushed out of the organization following allegations of antisemitism. Sarsour is a political ally of Mamdani and endorsed his 2020 bid for the New York Assembly. In 2017, the Anti-Defamation League rejected Sarsour's positions that delegitimize Israel and opposed her support for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement. The New York Mayor's office did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding whether ties to the Arab American Association of New York might undermine efforts to combat antisemitism.