Mamdani becomes first NYC mayor to publicly mark Nakba Day; UJA/Jewish leaders rebuke "one-sided" narrative

Mamdani posted an official mayoral office video on Fri May 15 marking Nakba Day, featuring "Nakba survivor" Inea Bushnaq describing fleeing Jerusalem in 1948 and naming the Haganah, Irgun, and Lehi militias as responsible for destroying 400+ Palestinian villages. UJA-Federation, Assemblymember Sam Berger, the ADL, and other Jewish leaders said the video omitted essential context — including the 22-Arab-state war on Israel after the UN partition plan and the expulsion of 800,000 Jews from Arab lands. Pairs with confirmed Mamdani non-attendance at the May 31 Israel Day on Fifth Parade.

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