New York sweep by Israel critics shines light on a fraught issue for Democrats

Democratic congressional candidate Brad Lander arrives with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani for an election night watch party Tuesday, June 23, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Ryan Murphy)2026-06-24T12:03:58Z NEW YORK (AP) — When Varun Venkatesh cast his ballot in New York’s primary this week, he thought about “a good litmus test for me as a voter.” He wanted to know what the candidates are doing for the Palestinian cause. The 27-year-old Brooklyn resident decided to support Claire Valdez, who was backed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani, over Antonio Reynoso, another progressive who was the choice of the Democratic establishment, because she had “a clear and more consistent stance.”Valdez triumphed in her congressional primary, as did two other insurgent candidates endorsed by Mamdani, and Israel was a key issue in each of the races. Now the question for Democrats is how many more voters like Venkatesh are out there as the party charts its path toward the November midterms and the next presidential election. Democratic congressional candidate Claire Valdez speaks during a Get Out The Vote rally ahead of New York's primary election, Thursday, June 18, 2026, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. (AP Photo/Ryan Murphy) Democratic congressional candidate Claire Valdez speaks during a Get Out The Vote rally ahead of New York's primary election, Thursday, June 18, 2026, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. (AP Photo/Ryan Murphy) --> Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. --> Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, celebrates with Democratic congressional candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier during an election night watch party Tuesday, June 23, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, celebrates with Democratic congressional candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier during an election night watch party Tuesday, June 23, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) --> Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. --> Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More The war in Gaza began with Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which responded with a yearslong counterattack that left more than 73,000 dead. About 1,000 have died since a ceasefire was reached in October, according to the Hamas-run health ministry that does not differentiate between civilian and combatant casualties. Human rights groups and a United Nations commission have described Israel’s actions as a genocide, a charge that’s been rejected by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Democrats on the left — and even some conservatives — have ratcheted up pressure to suspend U.S. aid to Israel, a shift that’s been shadowed by a rise in antisemitism across the political spectrum. Read More “The Israel question has become defining,” said Matt Bennett, who leads the centrist Democratic group Third Way and frequently criticizes progressives as jeopardizing outreach to independent voters. He argued that some in Mamdani’s camp have embraced “a new level of extremism,” warning that “Republicans are very good at weaponizing crazy ideas on the fringe against mainstream candidates.”The schism over Israel, which widened during Joe Biden’s presidency and undermined Kamala Harris’ bid to replace him, remains an open wound. How Democrats attempt to stitch it closed will help define their future. A step in any direction risks alienating pieces of the party’s unwieldy coalition when it’s trying to unify around the mission of retaking control of Congress and set the stage for winning the White House again. Mamdani is unapologetic in his effort to reshape the Democratic Party from the mayor’s office of the country’s largest city. He sharply criticized the American Israel Public Affairs Committee for defending what he calls “a status quo of immorality” in Gaza, and voters who celebrated his slate’s victories on Tuesday night chanted “Free Palestine.” The mayor, meanwhile, argues that New York should shape Democrats’ search for their national identity in the coming years. “When does the race for 2028 begin?” Mamdani asked last week on a stage with his slate of candidates. “It starts now.”Israel-Palestine conflict animates Democrats’ left flankEven for a party accustomed to battles between progressives and moderates, the divide over Israel has been especially intense. Although the U.S. alliance with Israel once had bipartisan support, the ascendancy of Israel’s right wing, led by Netanyahu, strained those ties over the years. Then the war in Gaza shredded them. Biden was denounced as “Genocide Joe” by pro-Palestinian supporters, who shifted their attention to Harris once she replaced him as the Democratic nominee for president two y