A bipartisan House duo is teaming up for a resolution to urge elected leaders in the U.S. to condemn the phrase ‘globalize the intifada.’
The legislation, being led by Reps. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., and Rudy Yakym, R-Ind., would condemn the phrase ‘as a call to violence against Israeli and Jewish people across the world.’
‘Globalize the intifada,’ as a call, has been a subject of national controversy since the Oct. 7, 2023, terror attack by Hamas in southern Israel, though it sparked new tension in recent weeks with New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani’s refusal to publicly condemn it. He reportedly recently distanced himself from the slogan during a private meeting, however.
While the bipartisan legislation does not expressly mention Mamdani, the four-page bill is notably being released a day after his trip to meet with national Democrats in Washington, D.C.
‘Condemning it should be common sense, but some would rather play politics than tell the truth. The violence and hatred directed at Jewish and Israeli people is reprehensible,’ Yakym told Fox News Digital. ‘No one, especially in America, should have to live in fear for their safety, or even their life, because of their religion or ethnicity.’
Gottheimer, who is Jewish, said, ”The Intifada’ refers to a horrific wave of terror attacks that killed thousands of Jews. Globalizing it is a direct call for violence against Jews, and it must be condemned.’
‘I’m against hate speech targeting anyone — and everyone should be. It’s insane and unacceptable to me that this antisemitic rhetoric is spreading rampant across our country,’ he said.
A moderate Democrat who helps lead the Problem Solvers Caucus, Gottheimer was one of the Democrats present at Mamdani’s breakfast event with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., on Wednesday.
Their legislation cites several instances of violence against Jews in recent months, including the attack on pro-Israel demonstrators in Colorado, the fatal shooting of a pair of Israeli embassy staffers in D.C., and arson at the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion while Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family were holding a Passover seder.
If passed in the House, the resolution would affirm that lawmakers believe ‘globalize the intifada’ is a ‘call for violence against Israeli and Jewish people across the world’ that ‘undermines the safety and security of Israeli and Jewish people in their communities.’
It would also declare that ‘those truly committed to Middle East peace should refrain from affirming, chanting, or displaying the slogan’ and ‘the slogan must be strongly and unequivocally condemned by national, State, and local leaders.’
‘Globalize the intifada’ has become a well-worn refrain at pro-Palestine demonstrations across the U.S., in response to Israel’s invasion of Gaza following the Hamas attack.
Others have warned, however, that it’s part of an increasingly alarming trend of antisemitic rhetoric that’s broken out in the U.S. since the war between Israel and Hamas began.
Mamdani, a self-proclaimed Democratic socialist who won the Democratic primary in the New York City mayoral race, has been slammed by his critics for refusing to condemn calls to ‘globalize the intifada.’
He is not being accused of using the phrase himself, however.
The New York Times reported that Mamdani said in a Tuesday meeting with business leaders that he would ‘discourage’ the use of the phrase.
Like many on the progressive left, he’s a fierce critic of Israel’s military operation in Gaza.
Fox News Digital’s Deirdre Heavey contributed to this report.