{"id":6298,"date":"2025-07-17T13:07:22","date_gmt":"2025-07-17T18:07:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/?p=6298"},"modified":"2025-07-17T13:07:23","modified_gmt":"2025-07-17T18:07:23","slug":"what-does-globalize-the-intifada-really-mean","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/?p=6298","title":{"rendered":"What Does \u201cGlobalize the Intifada\u201d Really Mean?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The phrase \u201cglobalize the intifada\u201d has become one of the most controversial slogans in today\u2019s political discourse. At its core, the Arabic term intifada<\/em> translates to \u201cuprising\u201d or \u201cshaking off.\u201d Historically, it refers to two Palestinian uprisings against Israel\u2014particularly the Second Intifada, which resulted in hundreds of Israeli civilian deaths, including through suicide bombings and attacks on buses, cafes, and public spaces. For many, especially in the Jewish community, this word is inseparable from violence and terrorism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGlobalize the intifada,\u201d then, is often interpreted as a call to spread that same form of resistance\u2014violent or otherwise\u2014around the world. While some activists say the slogan is about extending support for Palestinian rights and fighting oppression globally, the phrase\u2019s ties to violent history mean it is often heard as incitement against Jews and those who support Israel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mamdani\u2019s Embrace – and Retreat<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Zohran Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist and now the Democratic nominee for mayor of New York City, found himself at the center of this firestorm after repeatedly declining to condemn the phrase. In interviews and debates, he argued that \u201cglobalize the intifada\u201d is not language he personally uses, but also insisted it wasn\u2019t his job to \u201cpolice speech.\u201d He framed it as a call for global solidarity, not violence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, after weeks of backlash\u2014including concern from Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla, a Holocaust survivor\u2019s son\u2014Mamdani changed course. In a closed-door meeting with top New York City business executives, Mamdani said he would \u201cdiscourage\u201d the use of the slogan going forward, though he remained firm in supporting what he called \u201cthe idea behind it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This pivot is less about a change in belief than a recognition of political reality. With Jewish leaders, CEOs, and members of his own party expressing alarm, Mamdani\u2019s team is working to soften the language without backing down from the ideology behind it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is This a Movement?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGlobalize the intifada\u201d has evolved beyond a slogan into something akin to a global movement. It has been chanted at protests from Times Square to London and Berkeley to Amsterdam. It often appears on flyers, graffiti, and social media posts alongside calls for action against Jewish organizations, Israeli businesses, and U.S. corporations tied to Israel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some groups use the phrase as part of coordinated protests against companies like BlackRock, The New York Times, and Check Point, posting maps that identify Jewish institutions as targets for \u201cmobilization.\u201d In one viral incident, protesters carried out what many called a \u201cJew hunt\u201d after a soccer match in Amsterdam. That, combined with violent protests at American universities where Jewish students had to be escorted to safety, has fed the perception that the slogan encourages antisemitic action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Does Mamdani Really Believe?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Mamdani, who would be New York\u2019s first Muslim mayor, has tried to walk a fine line. He says he supports universal human rights and that \u201cintifada\u201d means different things to different people. He\u2019s teared up on the campaign trail recalling messages like \u201cThe only good Muslim is a dead Muslim,\u201d and has insisted that his rhetoric is about justice, not hate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But critics aren\u2019t convinced. AJC CEO Ted Deutch bluntly said, \u201c\u2018Globalize the Intifada\u2019 is not a call for justice; it is a call for violence.\u201d Others, including Rep. Jerry Nadler\u2014one of Mamdani\u2019s early supporters\u2014have privately urged him to disavow the phrase more clearly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is now a growing rift between Mamdani\u2019s campaign narrative and the deep fear the slogan stirs among Jews and others concerned about rising antisemitism. His refusal to outright condemn the phrase has raised questions not just about his stance on Israel, but about his broader attitudes toward Jews and non-Muslims. Critics say his hesitation reveals either a lack of understanding or a quiet endorsement of radical views masked by rhetoric about rights and resistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mamdani\u2019s path to City Hall is far from secure. His general election opponents, including Eric Adams and Andrew Cuomo, are courting the same nervous donors and political leaders now eyeing Mamdani warily. Business leaders say they\u2019re worried about his lack of executive experience and socialist economic platform\u2014but it\u2019s the emotional reaction to his handling of \u201cglobalize the intifada\u201d that could ultimately define his candidacy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

New York is a city with a large Jewish population, a history of anti-Muslim sentiment after 9\/11, and communities on edge after the October 7 Hamas attacks and Israel\u2019s response. Mamdani\u2019s refusal to firmly condemn rhetoric linked to terrorism could signal to some voters that he sees certain communities\u2014especially Jews\u2014as acceptable collateral in a global struggle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As one aide to a Jewish elected official put it, \u201cHe must proactively be clear that language that incites violence against Jews simply isn\u2019t acceptable, from anyone, in the city he wants to lead.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether Mamdani\u2019s rhetorical shift is genuine or calculated, the damage may already be done. The slogan \u201cglobalize the intifada\u201d is more than a phrase, it\u2019s a litmus test. And Mamdani\u2019s performance on it is forcing New Yorkers to decide: do they believe his intentions, or fear his instincts?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The phrase \u201cglobalize the intifada\u201d has become one of the most controversial slogans in today\u2019s political discourse. At its core, the Arabic term intifada translates to \u201cuprising\u201d or \u201cshaking off.\u201d Historically, it refers to two Palestinian uprisings against Israel\u2014particularly the Second Intifada, which resulted in hundreds of Israeli civilian deaths, including through suicide bombings and attacks on buses, cafes, and public spaces. For many, especially in the Jewish community, this word is inseparable from violence and terrorism. \u201cGlobalize the intifada,\u201d […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":6299,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,38,18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6298","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-elections","category-middle-east","category-politics"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/globalizeintifasd.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6298","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6298"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6298\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6300,"href":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6298\/revisions\/6300"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/6299"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6298"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6298"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6298"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}