Full Breakdown
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani Outpaces Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Favorability Among American Jews
7/11/2026, 8:13:10 PM
Core Findings of the AP-NORC Survey
A June 11-17 poll of 1,022 Jewish adults nationwide found 44 % view New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani favorably, while 39 % hold an unfavorable opinion. By contrast, only 32 % view Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu favorably and 59 % unfavorably. The net favorability scores are +5 points for Mamdani and -27 points for Netanyahu. The same respondents rated U.S. President Donald Trump unfavorably at 70 %, with a 29 % favorable rating.
Background & Context
Mamdani, a Muslim Democrat who assumed office in 2026, has drawn intense criticism from Zionist groups for refusing to label Israel a “Jewish state,” declining to attend the annual Israel Day Parade, and pledging to enforce an International Criminal Court arrest warrant against Netanyahu should the Israeli leader visit New York. His positions have sparked controversy within the city’s sizable Jewish community, which comprises the nation’s largest concentration of Jewish residents.
Data & Statistics
- Favorability: Mamdani 44 % / 39 % (unfavorable); Netanyahu 32 % / 59 % (unfavorable).
- U.S. policy on Israel: 38 % say the United States is “too supportive” of Israel; 32 % say it is “not supportive enough”; 28 % say support is “just right.”
- Genocide perception: 30 % of Jewish respondents say Israel has committed genocide in Gaza; 49 % say it has not; 21 % are undecided.
- Military response: 73 % deem Israel’s immediate response to the Oct. 7 Hamas attack justified; only 42 % support the continuation of operations in Gaza.
- Palestinian statehood: 33 % favor an independent Palestinian state covering the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem; 36 % oppose; 30 % are neutral.
- Demographics: 59 % of Jewish respondents identify as Democrats, 27 % as Republicans, and 14 % as independents.
Why It Matters
The poll signals a shift in the political calculus of American Jews, a group historically aligned with pro-Israel positions. Declining support for Netanyahu and growing skepticism about U.S. backing of Israel may influence Democratic primary dynamics, congressional stances on aid to Israel, and the broader U.S. foreign-policy debate over the Gaza conflict.
Official Statements & Responses
Mayor Mamdani told NY1, “My focus is on delivering for each and every New Yorker, and I’m proud to be the mayor of the city with the largest Jewish population in the country.” He added, “I think I’ll leave it to New Yorkers and pundits to make of it what they will.” In the same interview he emphasized equality, stating, “One of the things that makes me so proud to be an American is that equality is enshrined in our Constitution.”
The Israeli consulate in New York responded to Mamdani’s recent actions, calling his wife’s involvement in a women’s retreat “a false and dangerous narrative against Israel.”
Criticism & Opposition
Jewish leaders and Zionist organizations have repeatedly condemned Mamdani’s refusal to denounce the slogan “globalize the intifada,” arguing the phrase incites anti-Jewish violence. They also criticized his boycott of the Israel Day Parade and his pledge to enforce an ICC arrest warrant against Netanyahu, describing these moves as “antisemitic” and “politically irresponsible.”
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the poll’s overall margin of error: some cite a ±2 percentage-point error for the full sample and ±5 points for the Jewish subsample, while others mention only a ±5 point error. Net favorability figures are reported as +5 points for Mamdani and -27 points for Netanyahu in most outlets, but a few articles present the raw percentages without net calculations, creating minor inconsistencies in presentation.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I think I’ll leave it to New Yorkers and pundits to make of it what they will,” — Zohran Mamdani, NY1 interview
- “My focus is on delivering for each and every New Yorker, and I’m proud to be the mayor of the city with the largest Jewish population in the country.” — Zohran Mamdani, NY1 interview
- “One of the things that makes me so proud to be an American is that equality is enshrined in our Constitution,” — Zohran Mamdani, NY1 interview
- “The first lady of the city is pushing a false and dangerous narrative against Israel,” — Israeli consulate, New York
What’s Next
The poll’s findings arrive as Netanyahu is expected to travel to New York for the United Nations General Assembly in September, a visit that could test the mayor’s pledged enforcement of the ICC warrant. No further polling dates have been announced.
