New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani will skip Sunday's annual Israel Day Parade, breaking a decades-long political tradition among city leadership due to his staunch support for Palestinian rights.

The annual event along Fifth Avenue has historically been a mandatory stop for New York’s mayors, governors, and top political figures looking to show solidarity with the state of Israel and connect with thousands of attendees. However, Mamdani's decision to bypass the parade follows through on promises he made during his mayoral campaign, News.Az reports, citing Fortune.

"I said on the campaign trail that I wouldn't be attending the parade, and I've made my views on the Israeli government abundantly clear," Mamdani said during a press conference. Despite his absence, the mayor pledged a robust security presence, emphasizing that his administration had been planning for weeks to ensure the event proceeds "seamlessly and peacefully."

Standing alongside the mayor at police headquarters, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, who is Jewish, confirmed she would be marching. "It is the mayor’s decision not to march, and it is my decision to march proudly," Tisch told reporters.

Mamdani, New York's first Muslim mayor, has faced sharp criticism from opponents who view his anti-Zionist stance and critiques of Israeli policies as antisemitic. Tensions flared further two weeks ago when the mayor’s office released a video commemorating the Nakba—the term used to describe the mass displacement of roughly 700,000 Palestinians during the 1948 war. The video sparked fierce backlash from prominent Jewish leaders, including Rabbi Marc Schneier, who called Mamdani's parade boycott "a slap in the face to all Jewish New Yorkers."

Mamdani has maintained that acknowledging Palestinian history does not compromise his commitment to protecting Jewish New Yorkers. While he has stated that Israel has a right to exist, he opposes systems that favor Jewish citizens over others. To address rising security concerns, Mamdani has pointed to his administration's support for the city’s Office to Combat Antisemitism and proposed a funding boost for the Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes.

News.Az 

By Aysel Mammadzada