Elise Stefanik Labels Zoran Mamdani as a “Jihadist”

Republican U.S. Representative Elise Stefanik has referred to Democratic New York mayoral candidate Zoran Mamdani as a “jihadist.” She stated, “I call Zoran Mamdani a jihadist because he is. He is a raging anti-Semite. Just yesterday, Mamdani criticized Hamas terrorists who have shown refusal to act against them. That makes them the definition of jihadists, akin to the Hamas group that attacked civilians on October 7, 2023,” according to a statement she made.

The digital team at Fox News reached out to Mamdani’s campaign for comments regarding these characterizations.

Mamdani recently participated in an interview with Martha McCallum from Fox News Channel, where he was questioned about Hamas and its ties to Gaza’s leadership. He emphasized the importance of peace between Israel and Palestine.

However, when pressed by McCallum on whether Hamas should give up its weapons, he stated, “I don’t really have an opinion on the future of Hamas and Israel other than issues of justice and security, and everything must adhere to international law.”

Democratic Congresswoman Laura Gillen labeled Mamdani as “pro-Hamas Zoran,” asserting he was unfit for public office in the U.S.

During a recent mayoral debate, Mamdani was questioned about his stance on Hamas. In response to an inquiry about disarmament, he mentioned, “Of course I think you should keep your arms down.”

Notably, Mamdani identifies himself as a “democratic socialist” on his profile.