JTA — One of the most prominent Jewish politicians in the United States said Zohran Mamdani, New York’s Democratic mayoral nominee, should curb “blatantly antisemitic” language among his supporters.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro is among the establishment Democrats who have hesitated to embrace Mamdani, a democratic socialist and vocal critic of Israel. Mamdani also has yet to win the endorsements of Jewish Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, though both congratulated him on his primary win.

In an interview with Jewish Insider, Shapiro said Mamdani’s campaign “left open far too much space for extremists to either use his words or for him to not condemn the words of extremists that said some blatantly antisemitic things.”

Mamdani faced backlash during the primary for refusing to condemn the phrase “globalize the intifada,” though he has since said he will “discourage” it.

Many pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel activists argue that the phrase “globalize the intifada,” used regularly at pro-Palestinian protests, represents a nonviolent call for liberation. But many Jews and other critics say it functions as a call for violence against Jews and Israelis. The word “intifada,” which means “uprising” or “shaking off” in Arabic, was the name of two Palestinian uprisings, including one from 2000 to 2005 that killed an estimated 1,000 Israelis, mostly in terror attacks........

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