Schumer Defines 'Antisemite' to Include Those Denying Jewish Statehood

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer stated at a May 2025 event that individuals who believe Israel should not exist as a Jewish state are antisemitic. These remarks, made during a discussion of his book “Antisemitism in America, A Warning” at the New York Public Library, have drawn attention as they could encompass figures such as New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed.

“To be anti-Zionist — to not believe the Jewish people should have a state — is in my view a form of antisemitism,” Schumer said, according to resurfaced video from the event, where he faced heckling from pro-Palestinian protesters. He further elaborated, “If you believe every other people should have their own state, but the Jewish people should not, that is antisemitic.”

Mamdani faced criticism during the previous year’s mayoral race when he hesitated to confirm Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state. At a UJA-Federation sponsored event in May 2025, Mamdani stated, “I believe Israel has a right to exist and it has a right to exist also with equal rights for all.” Mamdani, a proponent of the boycott, divestment, and sanctions movement, has accused Israel of genocide in Gaza and notably skipped the Salute to Israel Day Parade in New York this year. He also called for the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for alleged war crimes.

Netanyahu, in a speech to the United Nations General Assembly last week, accused Mamdani of fanning hatred and making New York City less safe for Jews. Mamdani has asserted he has zero tolerance for antisemitism or bigotry, despite his criticisms of Israel.

Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed has also addressed the question of Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state. When asked about disputing this right, he responded, “I do not. I just dispute the idea that you should have an ethno-state,” drawing parallels to Egypt and Saudi Arabia. In a CNN interview, El-Sayed questioned why Palestinians' right to exist is not a more common inquiry, stating, “The question of whether or not Israel has a right to exist is quite secondary to whether they have a right to our tax dollars. Israel exists. The question is whether or not we want a politics where our money is sent over to Israel to do genocide and apartheid instead of investing in our own kids.” He later characterized the issue as a “gotcha game” and emphasized the importance of equal rights to peace, dignity, and self-determination for all.

Representatives for Schumer, Mamdani, and El-Sayed did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The New York Public Library, which recently hosted an event featuring author Benjamin Moser, who has been critical of Israel, stated it presents diverse viewpoints on significant topics.