Dem lawmaker says some people mean ‘Globalize the Intifada’ phrase literally

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Rep. Andre Carson, D-Ind., acknowledged this week that some people might literally mean the phrase “globalize the Intifada,” and deflected on why New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani has been reluctant in fully condemning it.

According to the American Jewish Committee, the phrase “calls for people from around the globe to participate in rising up against Israel.” The Second Intifada against Israel in the early 2000s was marked by Palestinian terrorism, including suicide bombings against Israeli civilians.

“Speak to people who might still be on the fence here, especially on the ‘globalize the intifada’ phrase, because that, you know, really did not go over well with some folks out there,” Fox News national correspondent Aishah Hasnie asked Carson as Mamdani visited Capitol Hill on Wednesday.

“Sure,” Carson responded.

JAMES CARVILLE WARNS MAMDANI TO KEEP ‘GLOBALIZE THE INTIFADA’ PHRASE ‘OUT YOUR MOUTH’

Rep. Andre Carson, D-Ind., acknowledged that some people might actually mean the phrase, “Globalize the Intifada,” and deflected on why New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani has been neglectful in condemning it. (REUTERS/Bing Guan)

“What does he need to do besides, I mean, do you think he needs to just come out and condemn the phrase?” Hasnie asked.

“Well, I think he’ll speak to it. I mean, some people mean it literally, some people have repurposed the phrase, they mean it symbolically, and I think he can speak to it better than I can,” Carson said.

The New York Times reported Tuesday that Mamdani said he would not use the phrase and would “discourage” the use of it during remarks he gave to over 100 business executives during a private meeting in Rockefeller Center at the offices of Tishman Speyer.

Mamdani had repeatedly dodged questions about the phrase “globalize the intifada,” which is widely seen as a call for violence against Jewish people.

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Zohran Mamdani has come under fire from Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y. (Tierney L. Cross/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

During an event Monday with a New York City musicians’ union celebrating its endorsement of Mamdani, the Democratic Party’s nominee for mayor avoided answering questions about the controversial rhetoric and whether he supports the phrase.

After Mamdani won the Democratic mayoral nomination in a political upset, he came under fire from Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., during an interview in June on ABC.

“Globalizing the intifada, by way of example, is not an acceptable phrase, and he’s going to have to clarify his position on that as he moves forward,” Jeffries said.

Mamdani originally declined to condemn the rhetoric during an interview last month with The Bulwark podcast.

During a “Meet the Press” interview with host Kristen Welker where she asked Mamdani to condemn the rhetoric three times during an interview, he refused.