Full Breakdown
Progressive Candidates Clash Over Israel-Palestine Stance at Jewish Currents Panel
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
At a recent all-day event hosted by the left-wing magazine Jewish Currents, two Democratic congressional hopefuls—Brad Lander and Darializa Avila Chevalier—participated in a panel on Israel and the Democratic Party. Both candidates, endorsed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, addressed questions about the limits of “legitimate Palestinian resistance” and the U.S. role in the conflict. The discussion revealed sharp differences: Avila Chevalier called for an arms embargo against Israel, while Lander stopped short of endorsing such a measure and emphasized a two-state solution.
Background: Pro-Palestinian Protests and DSA Involvement
The panel followed a series of high-profile protests in New York City, including a demonstration that began at City Hall and later overran an Israeli peace vigil commemorating the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks that killed 1,200 people. Protesters also invoked the death toll of 74,000 Palestinians reported by the Gaza health ministry. The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), described by Mamdani as his “political home,” did not officially sponsor the protest, though some Young DSA chapters participated.
Official Statements & Responses
- Avila Chevalier argued that international law already defines the line on legitimate resistance and that U.S. protests should target Israel, the primary recipient of American support. She reiterated her call for an arms embargo and noted that U.S. protests cannot affect Hamas because the U.S. does not fund the group.
- Brad Lander said he has spoken broadly on the issue in private, declined to detail those conversations, and affirmed his public stance that the Oct. 8 protest he attended was “abominable.” He has ceased paying DSA dues after the organization’s participation in that protest.
- Hasan Piker condemned the protestors who jeered Mamdani at an Oct. 7 vigil, labeling them “opportunists” while acknowledging their “valid concerns” about police practices. He also faulted the DSA for not leading the anti-Zionist mobilization.
- Arlene Geiger, an Upper West Side activist, expressed a personal connection to Judaism rooted in Eastern-European Bund traditions rather than Israel, reflecting the diverse ideological currents present at the event.
Criticism & Opposition
He also described Lander’s reluctance to address Avila Chevalier’s protest participation as “politically expedient,” noting the pressure from a “super lefty crowd.”
Verbatim Quotes
- “I think international law has already drawn that line,” — Avila Chevalier
- “We could be the biggest anti-Hamas protesters, but a protest against Hamas in the U.S. isn’t going to do anything because we don’t fund it,” — Avila Chevalier
- “The DSA not being at the forefront of the anti-Zionist mobilization in New York City is what allowed that mobilization to be tarnished by opportunists, sectarians and those who actually were calling him a genocidaire — which I obviously find to be ridiculous,” — Hasan Piker
- “My connection to Judaism is not to Israel, it never has been. It’s more to Eastern Europe and the Bund, so that spoke to me,” — Bund. Arlene Geiger, an Upper West Sider and longtime activist