NEW YORK — Zohran Mamdani, the leading candidate in the New York City mayoral race, repeatedly accused Israel of genocide, highlighted his “meaningful” talks with Jewish New Yorkers and denounced the Hamas terrorist group in a debate on Thursday.

Mayoral candidates Mamdani, former New York governor Andrew Cuomo, and Republican Curtis Sliwa debated ahead of the November 4 election at a discussion that covered Jewish topics including Israel, antisemitism and street protests.

When asked about the Gaza war, Mamdani accused Israel of genocide three times within a few minutes.

Cuomo accused Mamdani of not being a democrat because Mamdani supported the “leave it blank” campaign against Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign to protest US support for Israel during the Gaza war.

“I said leave it blank in the presidential primary because primaries are a place to air dissent and, like many Americans, I was horrified by the Israeli genocide of Palestinians,” Mamdani said at the debate hosted by NBC 4 New York, Telemundo 47 (WNJU) and Politico.

Asked about declining to call on Hamas to lay down its arms in an interview on Tuesday, Mamdani backtracked, saying, “Of course I believe that they should lay down their arms.”

“Calling for a ceasefire means ceasing fire, that means all parties have to cease........

© The Times of Israel