Lead

Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz called Jewish voters who supported New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani 'self-haters' during a radio interview, as reported by the Jerusalem Post. The comments were made on Zev Brenner's Talkline Network broadcast, where Dershowitz discussed Mamdani's policies and rhetoric, particularly focusing on the mayor's decision not to appoint any Jewish lawyer to a judicial commission.

Coverage Comparison

The Jerusalem Post covered this story in two separate pieces. One article, by Hannah Brown, offered a personal reflection on the fact that about a third of New York's Jews voted for Mamdani, expressing concern that close friends who supported him have become desensitized to antisemitism. The other, by Alex Carson, focused on Dershowitz's strong statements, including his comparison of Jewish Mamdani voters to Jews who voted for Hitler in 1932.

Both articles draw on the same underlying facts but frame them differently. Brown's piece is more introspective, using a movie analogy to illustrate how she believes her friends were gradually led to support Mamdani despite his rhetoric. Carson's piece is more straightforwardly critical, quoting Dershowitz's harsh language directly.

Key Claims

  • About a third of New York's Jews voted for Zohran Mamdani, according to reports cited by the Jerusalem Post.
  • Mamdani has called American-Jewish lobbyists 'monsters' who 'move dark money,' as reported by the Jerusalem Post.
  • Mamdani said, 'When the boot of the NYPD is on your neck, it's been laced by the IDF,' according to reports cited by the Jerusalem Post.
  • Mamdani's wife liked posts that celebrated the rape and murder of thousands of Jews, as reported by the Jerusalem Post.
  • Dershowitz called Mamdani an antisemite during the radio interview.
  • Mamdani decided not to appoint any Jewish lawyer to a judicial commission, a decision that drew Dershowitz's criticism.
  • Dershowitz compared Jews who voted for Mamdani to those who voted for Hitler in 1932, saying 'most of them ended up in the gas chambers.'
  • Mamdani has called for the arrest of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to the Jerusalem Post.

Perspectives

Alan Dershowitz's Viewpoint

Dershowitz expressed deep frustration with Jewish voters in neighborhoods like the Upper West Side, Upper East Side, and Park Slope who supported Mamdani. He said, 'We know he's an antisemite, we know his wife is an antisemite, we know his father has had all kinds of problems with Jews as well. So, look, he's a bigot.' He argued that no self-respecting Jew could support a figure who 'marginalizes Jews, discriminates against Jews, hates Israel, [and] calls Israel a genocidal state falsely.' He also called these voters 'idiot Jews' and 'some of the dumbest people I've ever met.'

Jerusalem Post Columnist's Viewpoint

Hannah Brown's article reflects a personal perspective, expressing concern that her friends' awareness of antisemitism has been 'lowered bit by bit' and that they have embraced Mamdani despite his use of antisemitic tropes. She notes that her friends were not upset by Mamdani's comments about Jewish lobbyists or his October 8 tweet that called for 'an end to occupation and dismantling apartheid' without mentioning Hamas.

Mamdani's Position (as characterized by the Jerusalem Post)

The articles characterize Mamdani as a politician who has made controversial statements about Israel and Jewish groups, including calling for Netanyahu's arrest and using rhetoric that critics label as antisemitic. His decision not to appoint Jewish lawyers to a judicial commission is cited as a point of contention. The articles do not include direct quotes from Mamdani responding to these criticisms.