When a Columbia University professor who defends suicide bombers sits on the council of a group tied to terrorism, and his son runs for New York City mayor, you have to wonder how far the radical agenda has seeped into American institutions—and how blind some still are to the dangers it poses.
At a Glance
- Mahmood Mamdani, a Columbia professor and father of NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, advises the controversial Gaza Tribunal.
- The Gaza Tribunal, founded in 2024, accuses Israel of genocide and includes figures with histories of anti-Israel activism and terror ties.
- Mahmood Mamdani has argued that suicide bombers should be understood as “soldiers,” sparking outrage and renewed scrutiny.
- The controversy has intensified the NYC mayoral race, reigniting debate over the limits of academic freedom and anti-Israel activism.
From the Ivory Tower to a Run for City Hall
Mahmood Mamdani, a professor at Columbia University, has long been a controversial figure. In his 2004 book Good Muslim, Bad Muslim, he argued that “suicide bombing needs to be understood as a feature of modern political violence” and that the suicide bomber is a “category of soldier.” Now, his radical views are under a fresh microscope as his son, New York State Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, makes a run for mayor of New York City on a socialist, pro-BDS platform.
🇺🇸 ZOHRAN MANDANI'S FATHER: SUICIDE BOMBERS? JUST MODERN SOLDIERS
Dad of NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mandani sits on the Gaza Tribunal, a group that calls Israel “genocidal” and cheers on boycotts, divestment, and sanctions.
He once wrote that suicide bombers shouldn’t be seen… https://t.co/Yt1kfC8LJI pic.twitter.com/qFRp7OmK3a
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) July 13, 2025
The elder Mamdani’s associations are raising alarms. He sits on the advisory council of the newly formed “Gaza Tribunal,” an organization that openly accuses Israel of genocide and is stacked with some of the world’s most notorious anti-Israel figures.
The ‘Gaza Tribunal’: A Platform for Radicalism
The Gaza Tribunal, launched in London, aims to “awaken civil society to its responsibility… to stop Israel’s genocide in Gaza.” Its advisory council reads like a who’s who of anti-Israel extremism:
- Richard Falk, a former UN official known for his relentless hostility toward Israel.
- Sami Al-Arian, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to contribute services to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, a designated terrorist organization.
- Jeremy Corbyn, the disgraced former UK Labour Party leader whose tenure was defined by antisemitism scandals.
- And Mahmood Mamdani himself.
This isn’t about academic freedom; it’s about a deliberate attempt to legitimize the most radical anti-Israel voices by giving them a pseudo-judicial platform.
A Battle for the Soul of New York
Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral campaign has brought his family’s radical associations to the forefront of New York City politics. He has refused to denounce the BDS movement and dodges questions about his father’s controversial positions and affiliations.
For New York’s Jewish community, already facing a surge in antisemitism, the prospect of a mayoral candidate with these ties is deeply alarming. The Mamdani controversy has ignited a fierce debate about where legitimate criticism of Israel ends and where the normalization of antisemitic rhetoric and sympathy for terror begins. As the mayoral race heats up, New Yorkers are being forced to confront just how far the radical agenda has seeped into the city’s mainstream political discourse.
