Zohran Mamdani’s Controversial Praise
Zohran Mamdani, a socialist candidate for mayor in New York City, has previously expressed his “love” for five leaders of a nonprofit organization that was convicted of funneling over $12 million to the terrorist group Hamas.
The former lesser-known rapper known as Mr. Cardamom has notably praised the head of the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development—infamously linked to the “Holy Land 5.” This was spotlighted in a revealing video by Canary Mission, an organization dedicated to combating anti-Semitism, which emerged recently.
“My love for the sacred land. 5. You better see,” Mamdani stated in his song, reflecting a sentiment about Muslim growth in New York.
The case involves five individuals connected to the now-closed Holy Land Foundation—Shukri Abu Baker, Mohammad El Mezein, Gassan Ellasi, Mfid Abdulkada, and Abdulrahman Ode—who were convicted in 2008 by a federal judge for their roles in funding Hamas, as reported by Canary Mission.
According to the video, “Mamdani sent his ‘love’ to the convicted Hamas funders. Let’s sink it.”
These individuals faced charges including terrorism, tax fraud, and money laundering, leading to prison sentences that ranged from 15 to 65 years.
In his track, Mamdani also seems to invoke a rather controversial position on immigration, rapping, “No ban. No walls. We build it. We drop it,” trailing only behind former Governor Andrew Cuomo in polls leading to the Democratic primary.
The anti-Semitism watchdog responded, stating, “There is no ban or a wall. That’s the open door for criminals and confusion.”
They continued, “Zohran Mamdani stands with a convicted terrorist funder and hopes for open boundaries,” underscoring their concerns about his stance.
“This is New York City. It’s not a sanctuary for terrorists,” they added.
Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa shared his worries, stating that New Yorkers should be cautious of candidates who have a history of praising Hamas. “We must reject hatred and extremism,” he emphasized.
Mamdani’s campaign did not respond to inquiries regarding these issues.
