Shouldn’t the Mayor of New York Represent All New Yorkers?
by Mark M. Bello
By now, most of you are familiar with the video released by Mayor Zohran Mamdani, demanding the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. I will not dignify the video by pasting it here. Suffice it to say, it is a disgusting piece of bigoted political propaganda from the mayor of a multi-cultural city.
I’m not a New Yorker. I’m a Michigander. And if the mayor of my city released a video demanding the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu while ignoring virtually every fact that brought America and the Middle East to this moment, I’d be even angrier than I am today.
And not because I believe everyone should support Netanyahu. Without help from Mamdani or me, the people should decide for themselves. Reasonable men and women may agree or disagree with his policies, his prosecution of the war in Gaza, or whether his government has made serious mistakes. Remember though, his first obligation is to the safety of his citizens.
And the mayor of the largest city in America, indeed any city, also has a responsibility larger than his own politics. Mamdani represents an entire city—all New Yorkers, not merely those who share his ideology, religion, or worldview.
New York is home to one of the largest Jewish populations in the world. It is also home to millions of Muslims, Christians, Hindus, atheists, and people of every imaginable background. A mayor’s words should unite where possible, but this mayor chose to deepen already dangerous divisions.
Worse than the words Mamdani spoke in the video were those he chose to leave out. He made no mention of October 7, 2023—the deadliest attack on Jews since the Holocaust. No mention that Hamas deliberately murdered civilians, raped women, kidnapped children and grandparents, and held multiple hostages. Of those who came home, most were tortured or killed—only their bodies were returned.
Mamdani failed to acknowledge that Hamas routinely uses Gaza’s civilian population as human shields, embedding military operations among homes, schools, hospitals, and places of worship. He also failed to mention that Hamas’s stated objective has long been Israel’s destruction.
Context matters. How can anyone have an honest conversation about Gaza while pretending October 7 never happened? Can a responsible leader discuss civilian suffering without acknowledging the terrorist organization whose strategy has been to maximize that suffering for political gain?
Imagine, after September 11, 2001, if a Middle Eastern leader condemned the United States’ military response, while saying nothing about the terrorists who murdered nearly 3,000 innocent people. Most Americans would have found that morally reprehensible. This is no different, is it?
And this is especially true because Mayor Mamdani might have chosen another road, a higher road. He might have used Prime Minister Netanyahu’s upcoming visit as a call for peace or renewed negotiations. He might have condemned Hamas terrorism, mourned innocent Palestinian and Israeli civilians alike, and challenged both sides to end the fighting.
That would have been leadership.
Instead, he chose the low road, producing a video he knew would inflame passions on both sides while offering no meaningful path toward peace. Whether you support or oppose Netanyahu is almost beside the point. Leadership requires balance; in this case, leadership required the acknowledgment of uncomfortable facts, even if those facts complicated Mamdani’s preferred narrative.
Leadership demands that a leader remembers who he serves. A New York City Mayor serves all New Yorkers—not merely those who share his worldview. A public official who forgets or ignores that simple principle stops being a leader and starts being an activist. At a time when antisemitism is rising, Islamophobia is rising, and political violence is becoming more common, America does not need leaders who pour gasoline on the fire—we need leaders willing to help put the fire out.
This isn’t just a New York problem—it’s a leadership problem; one that is becoming uniquely American. It knows no political party. Donald Trump speaks and acts only for those who voted for him. He casts broad suspicion on Hispanic immigrants while overlooking the millions who work hard, obey the law, raise families, serve in our military, and strengthen our communities. He demonizes the press as “enemies of the people” and says he “hates” members of the opposition party, branding them as “Communists.”
It is difficult to watch a prominent Democrat mimic Trump’s deplorable failure to lead. Partisan leadership is no more acceptable for a mayor who elects to view one side of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through a single political or ideological lens. Public officials are supposed to represent everyone—not just those who share their beliefs, ethnicity, religion, or party affiliation. When leaders divide people into “us” and “them,” they stop leading and start campaigning.
Leadership isn’t measured by how passionately you speak for your supporters. It’s measured by whether those who disagree with you can believe you represent them as passionately as you represent your supporters. Donald Trump consistently fails this test. With his alarmingly one-sided video, Mamdani joins Trump in failing his citizens.
New York deserves better just as America deserves better. Public officials take an oath to represent every citizen—not merely those who helped elect them. Trump is beyond redemption—is there hope for Mamdani? I doubt it.
Prove me wrong, Mr. Mayor. Prove me wrong.
Mark M. Bello is an attorney and award-winning author of the Zachary Blake Legal Thriller Series, ripped-from-the-headlines, realistic fiction that speaks truth to power and champions the rights of citizens in our justice system. These novels are dedicated to the social justice movement. They educate, spark discussion, and inspire readers to action. One of these was “Betrayal of Justice, a blistering novel about presidential misconduct and hypocrisy” For more information, please visit www.markmbello.com.