'Do you think Israel has a right to exist?': NYC mayoral debate question sparks backlash
People on social media were enraged after moderators at New York City’s first mayoral primary debate singled out candidate Zohran Mamdani with pointed questions about Israel, widely seen as an attempt to undermine his support for Palestinian rights.
On Wednesday night, nine Democratic candidates went head to head at the first debate of the NYC mayoral primary at NBC’s 30 Rockefeller Center studios, discussing a range of topics related to the city like policing, housing and public transportation.
The fight between the Trump administration and American universities, including Manhattan's Columbia University, which just lost accreditation for its alleged failure to protect Jewish students, and the multiple deportation cases of international students, was discussed as well. All the candidates agreed that Palestinian student and activist Mahmoud Khalil should be released from detention.
But the final question veered sharply away from municipal concerns.