Democratic socialist New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani told Qatari state television that the American federal government is “bankrolling a genocide” against Palestinians, declaring U.S. support has resulted in the death of “a Palestinian child every hour for over a year.”
In a September 21 appearance on Al-Araby TV, a Qatar-based network, Mamdani used the foreign platform to deliver an extended tirade against American foreign policy, accusing Washington of complicity in Middle Eastern violence while at the same time running for mayor of America’s largest city.
“Our federal government is bankrolling a genocide, which has cost the life of a Palestinian child every hour for over a year,” Mamdani declared, according to a translation provided by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI). “The people of New York are shocked by what they have witnessed, as well as by our collaboration, as Americans, in bankrolling what is happening.”
Even as he directed his criticism abroad, Mamdani maintained that his campaign is anchored in municipal priorities, saying his vision for New York City is about responding to the needs of New Yorkers. At the same time, he insisted that those values must extend globally, arguing that if America claims to uphold principles shared by all humanity — freedom, security, and justice — then those principles must be applied universally, including to the Palestinians.
Mamdani’s decision to accuse the United States of genocide on Qatari state television underscores his broader record as one of the most radical voices seeking power in New York politics. He has vowed to sever the city’s investments in Israeli bonds, refused to condemn the incendiary slogan “globalize the intifada,” and has been openly highlighted by the Democratic Socialists of America as their best chance to “seize state power.” His rhetoric has alarmed Jewish Democratic lawmakers, while his campaign events have already drawn hecklers on Staten Island.
Adding to the controversy is Mamdani’s personal connection to Qatar itself. The New York Post revealed that the regime financed years of films by his mother, director Mira Nair, while a separate Post column argued that such Qatari patronage formed “another piece of Mamdani’s privileged puzzle.” His choice to attack America on Qatari state TV while benefiting from the same regime’s largesse has placed his radical foreign policy views squarely in the spotlight as he campaigns to run New York City.
Joshua Klein is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email him at jklein@breitbart.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoshuaKlein.
