At least one in five members of Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s transition operation has documented ties to radical anti-Zionist groups that openly promote terror and harass Jewish people, according to a report released Monday by the Anti-Defamation League.

The ADL’s analysis found that roughly 80 of the more than 400 people appointed to Mamdani’s 17 transition committees have a record of making or sharing anti-Zionist or anti-Israel statements. Many were linked to activist organizations such as Students for Justice in Palestine, Jewish Voice for Peace, and Within Our Lifetimes — groups the ADL says have fueled aggressive anti-Israel protests across New York City and contributed to a climate of intimidation facing Jewish students and institutions.

Several of the individuals identified in the report have downplayed or dismissed the atrocities committed by Hamas during its Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, while others were involved in last spring’s anti-Israel encampments on New York City college campuses, which repeatedly drew condemnation for antisemitic rhetoric and harassment.

The findings land amid a global surge in antisemitic incidents and come less than a week after Mamdani’s director of appointments, Catherine Almonte Da Costa, resigned following the resurfacing of decade-old social media posts containing antisemitic remarks — including references to “money hungry Jews” — and inflammatory attacks on police. The ADL said the resignation, combined with the new report, raises serious questions about how thoroughly Mamdani’s transition team vetted appointees.

“Many of Mayor-Elect Mamdani’s Transition Committee appointments are inconsistent with his campaign commitments to prioritize the safety of New York’s Jewish community,” the ADL wrote. “The composition of these Transition Committees will directly influence the administration’s policies and approach to Jewish community concerns, and the current appointments raise serious questions as to whether those concerns will be adequately represented or addressed.”

According to the report, some transition committee members were photographed at anti-Israel encampments featuring symbols associated with Hamas, including inverted red triangles, or were arrested during protests that included inflammatory rhetoric against Israel. Others publicly dismissed reports of Hamas terrorists raping and kidnapping Israeli civilians as “propaganda,” or justified violence against Israelis in the immediate aftermath of the Oct. 7 massacre.

The ADL also identified links between several transition members and the Nation of Islam, including individuals who attended events featuring antisemitic rhetoric from its longtime leader, Louis Farrakhan. The report further noted that Mamdani himself praised Farrakhan in a 2019 Facebook post, thanking him for inspiring him to “dedicate my life toward the uplift of our community,” and insisting at the time, “This is not hate, but simple pure love and truth.”

Asked about the report during a press conference Monday, Mamdani rejected its conclusions and insisted he is committed to protecting Jewish New Yorkers.

“I have always spoken out against antisemitism and hatred in any form,” Mamdani said. “And we must distinguish between antisemitism and criticism of the Israeli government. The ADL report oftentimes ignores this distinction.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)