New York City and London, two of the world's most important cities, have much in common. They are both expensive to live in, overcrowded, vibrant and share a bizarre affinity for musicals and brunch.
Come November, they may share one more trait: A Muslim mayor with a progressive left-wing worldview and a critical stance of Israel.
This scenario, which concerns many Israelis, is no longer theoretical. According to sources close to Zohran Mamdani, who is leading the NYC mayoral race, London Mayor Sadiq Khan has been providing guidance to the campaign.
The message to the young candidate across the pond is clear—in order to win in November, you must broaden your base and move more to the center, even at the cost of some far-left positions that brought you your win in the primaries.
Khan deployed the same strategy in 2016 when he beat an opponent from Labour's left flank and then shifted to the right to ensure the support of conservatives.
Mamdani appears to be listening and learning and has already backed away from his calls to "globalize the intifada" and has reached out to pro-Israeli lawmakers in the Democratic Party in an attempt to reach common ground.
His campaign claimed Khan and Mamdani had only a brief conversation after the primary win. "We appreciate leaders who follow the events in New York, but we must insist, London's mayor is in no way advising our campaign," a statement read.
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Zohran Mamdani wins Democratic Party primaries in New York City mayoral race
(Photo: Michael M. Santiago / Getty Images)
But sources close to the 33-year-old candidate agree that Khan, 54, is considered a role model and mentor. Mamdani was born in Uganda to Indian parents. He grew up in New York but only became a citizen of the United States in 2018.
He is a vocal supporter of the BDS movement, has called for a suspension of military aid to Israel and announced that he would have Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrested if he came into his city.
He has proposed an ambitious, if not populist and somewhat delusional, economic platform, including free public transport, rent control, city-owned grocery stores, usurping authorities from the police, increased taxes on businesses and $100 billion investment over a decade to build affordable housing. He also vowed to double the minimum wage in New York to $30 per hour by 2030.
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His aggressive campaign is mostly run on social media and has gained the support of prominent far-left progressive figures such as Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC). He has also raised record-breaking funds online and his campaign has so far garnered $2.5 million in small donations.
Both men have come up despite having the odds stacked against them. Khan is the son of a bus driver from the Pakistani community, who made history when he was elected as the first mayor of a major British city to come from a religious minority. His success stemmed from his ability to reassure voters that he would not change the British capital into a socialist experiment. It has worked, and he went on to win two more elections over eight years, often facing fierce opponents and critics, including U.S. President Donald Trump, who accused him of destroying London.
Mamdani adopted a more American style, with posts and TikTok and an appeal to Gen Z, who also share his aversion to Israel.
Although in London Khan maintained a pragmatic policy toward Israel, banning the BDS, supporting a two-state solution and condemning antisemitism in the Labour Party, Mamdani built his political career on an anti-Israel agenda that is worrying the Jewish residents of New York. For many, Mamdani is an unprecedented threat, not only to U.S.-Israel relations but also to their own sense of security.
He is currently leading the polls, but a third of voters have said they have not yet decided whom to cast their ballot for. A win for Mamdani in November will pose new challenges for both Washington and Jerusalem.