‘Premeditated evil’: Mamdani's antisemitism plan draws fury over anti-Israel ties

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s new strategy to combat antisemitism is facing growing scrutiny after critics discovered that millions of dollars in expanded hate-prevention funding will actually flow through a program that includes organizations with a history of fierce anti-Israel activism.

Last week, Mamdani unveiled what City Hall calls New York City’s first comprehensive municipal strategy to combat antisemitism. He promised major investments in security, education and hate-crime prevention.

One of the biggest pieces is $6.4 million for Partners Against the Hate, known as P.A.T.H. That doubled the previous year’s funding for the city-backed program. Mamdani has also dramatically increased funding for the Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes to $26 million, while allocating another $1 million to strengthen physical security at synagogues and other houses of worship.

But hold on for a moment: the groups helping distribute that taxpayer money are getting a closer look and it’s raising big time alarm bells.

Among P.A.T.H.’s six original “anchor organizations” is the Arab American Association of New York (AAANY), a nonprofit once led by prominent Palestinian-American activist Linda Sarsour. The organization has participated in pro-Palestinian activism and partnered with organizations sharply critical of Israel.

Conservative commentator and attorney Josh Hammer, who is senior counsel for the Article III Project and a Shillman Fellow at the David Horowitz Freedom Center, tells ALL ISRAEL NEWS that the controversy undercuts Mamdani’s entire effort.

“Zohran Mamdani’s so-called plan to combat rising Jew-hatred is an exercise of the arsonist called in to put out the fire. In reality, there is only one thing Mamdani can do to make New York City more hospitable again to Jews: resign.”

P.A.T.H. existed before Mamdani took office. Then-Mayor Bill de Blasio launched the initiative in 2021 with $3 million and six anchor organizations: the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, the AAANY, the Asian American Federation, Hispanic Federation, New York City Anti-Violence Project and 67th Precinct Clergy Council. The program was designed to fund community-based efforts to prevent hate crimes and help victims.

Now, Mamdani is essentially supersizing it. But the story gets even more disturbing and intriguing.

Tax records show that the AAANY didn’t just conduct its own programs. It also distributes P.A.T.H. money to other organizations.

AAANY’s 2025 federal tax filing lists six grants specifically designated for the “PATH PROGRAM.” They include $57,779 to the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) New York chapter, $58,084 to Jews for Racial and Economic Justice, $61,486 to the Sikh Coalition and $60,076 to Adhikaar for Human Rights and Social Justice.

That CAIR-NY connection is clearly problematic. The AAANY and CAIR-NY have worked together on Palestinian advocacy events, including a 2024 event that accused Israel of “genocide” in Gaza. So money to combat antisemitism is going to groups that preach antisemitism? You can’t make this stuff up.

It should be noted that AAANY Executive Director Sarsour served there from 2005 until 2017. She expanded the organization considerably before becoming nationally known as one of the leaders of the 2017 Women’s March. She later became an outspoken political ally of Mamdani.

Jeffrey Lax, City University of New York professor of law and a campus antisemitism expert, tells ALL ISRAEL NEWS that Sarsour is bad news.

“Linda Sarsour was radicalized while she was a student on my campus and was thrown out of the Women's March by her own left because of her over antisemitism,” says Lax.

“The AAANY, which she led for a decade, funds groups, like CAIR, that cause tremendous harm to Jews. Mamdani assigning Jewish protection to groups like this isn't incompetent insanity. It's premeditated evil with a predictable outcome that the Mayor wants – increased Jewish hate and persecution.”

The funding questions come at an especially sensitive time. NYPD statistics show 229 confirmed anti-Jewish hate crimes through August of this year, an 8% increase from the same period in 2025. Jewish-related incidents remain by far the largest religious category tracked by the department.

Mamdani insists he is taking that threat seriously. “Antisemitism has no place in New York City,” the mayor said in unveiling the strategy, adding that his administration intends to protect Jewish institutions while expanding education about Jewish history.

But a central political problem remains: many Jewish organizations believe Mamdani refuses to confront the connection between extreme anti-Zionism and modern antisemitism. More than two dozen Jewish groups have criticized the strategy for failing to adequately address anti-Zionist harassment.