“I’m not comfortable supporting any state that has a hierarchy of citizenship on the basis of religion or anything else,” said Zohran Mamdani, the New York City mayoral candidate, in an interview with Ezra Klein at The New York Times published this weekend.

It’s the kind of statement that would seem principled—if it weren’t so selectively applied.

Mamdani, a rising voice in American progressive politics, has been a vocal critic of Israel, advocating for the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, accusing Israel of apartheid, and refusing to recognize it as the nation-state of the Jewish people. But when it comes to the 50 Muslim-majority countries across the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Africa—many of which formally enshrine Islam as the state religion and legally marginalize religious minorities—Mamdani’s record is silent.

To be clear, Israel’s policies should be open to debate. Israelis themselves argue vigorously over government decisions, social justice, civil rights, and the role of religion in public life. That is the hallmark of a vibrant democracy. But Mamdani’s unwillingness to apply his stated principles universally raises legitimate questions. It’s not just inconsistency—it’s a double standard that most likely reveals the candidate’s anti-Semitic prejudices.

Mamdani’s worldview reflects a broader pattern that has emerged among........

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