Thousands of anti-Israel demonstrators surged through midtown Manhattan on Saturday, banging cowbells and waving placards that demanded an end to U.S. aid to Israel while chanting “Free, free Palestine” and “Palestine will live forever.” Organizers branded the rally “Stand with Gaza.” What echoed loudest—and sparked the fiercest backlash—was the call for a “global intifada,” a slogan that is nothing less than a call to violence against Jews worldwide.

Since Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023 massacre in southern Israel, the phrase “globalize the intifada” has drawn sharp condemnation from security experts and community advocates who link it to the suicide bombings, shootings, and stabbings that marked previous intifadas. “The intifada refers to a horrific wave of terror attacks that killed thousands of Jews. Globalizing it is a direct call for violence against Jews,” said Rep. Josh Gottheimer, who demanded unequivocal denunciations. “It must be condemned. I’m against hate speech targeting anyone—and everyone should be. It’s insane and unacceptable that this antisemitic rhetoric is spreading across our country.”

The political crossfire widened to New York City’s mayoral race after candidate Zohran Mamdani, a self-described Democratic socialist, faced criticism for not explicitly rejecting the chant. Pressed on his position, Mamdani responded that it’s not “language” he uses, adding: “I understand there are concerns about it, and what I will do is showcase my vision for the city through my words and my actions.” His careful phrasing did little to calm opponents who argue that prominent figures must draw clear red lines when crowds traffic in rallying cries associated with bloodshed.

Lawmakers are now seeking a formal rebuke. A resolution moving in the House would label the “global intifada” mantra as a call for violence against Israelis and Jews, warning that its normalization endangers Jewish communities at home and abroad. The measure cites a string of violent incidents targeting Jews in the United States—including a fatal attack on pro-Israel demonstrators in Boulder, Colorado, and a shooting in Washington, DC, that killed two Israeli diplomatic staff—and urges public officials to reject the rhetoric.

Saturday’s march unfolded against that backdrop of rising anxiety. New York remains home to the largest Jewish population outside Israel, and local shuls and schools have tightened security amid a documented spike in antisemitic incidents.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)