Mamdani marks Nakba Day with Palestinian survivor’s story
New York mayor shares testimony of 1948 displacement as Palestinian supporters condemn Israeli war and suffering in Gaza
NEW YORK (MNTV) — New York mayor Zohran Mamdani marked Nakba Day by releasing a video featuring a Palestinian survivor now living in New York, while also joining a remembrance event highlighting the ongoing suffering and displacement of Palestinians.
The video focused on the story of Inea Bushnaq, whose family fled Jerusalem during the 1948 war surrounding the creation of Israel.
Mamdani described Nakba Day as a remembrance of the displacement, dispossession and trauma experienced by Palestinians during that period. More than 700,000 Palestinians were expelled or forced to flee their homes between 1947 and 1949.
Supporters praised Mamdani for amplifying Palestinian voices and acknowledging a history that is often marginalized in Western political and human rights discourse.
However, several pro-Israel lobbying organizations and Jewish advocacy groups criticized the video, accusing Mamdani of inflaming tensions and encouraging antisemitism.
Many supporters rejected those accusations, arguing that recognition of Palestinian suffering and historical trauma should not be equated with antisemitism.
Later, Mamdani joined a Nakba Day remembrance gathering in New York attended by Palestinian activists, students, community leaders and supporters carrying Palestinian flags and calling for an end to Israeli military operations in Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territories.
Participants also condemned ongoing Israeli bombardment and restrictions on humanitarian aid entering Gaza, accusing Israel of carrying out collective punishment against Palestinian civilians.
Demonstrators carried banners linking the destruction in Gaza to the historic displacement of Palestinians in 1948, arguing that the Nakba remains an ongoing reality for millions of Palestinians living under occupation, blockade or exile.
The event took place amid growing pro-Palestinian demonstrations across major Western cities as outrage intensifies over Israel’s military campaign in Gaza and mounting civilian casualties.
Nakba Day is observed annually on May 15 by Palestinians and their supporters to commemorate the mass displacement and loss of Palestinian land during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war.
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