What happened
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani visited a Palestinian-owned restaurant on the Upper West Side, which has a menu that erases Israel from the map, labeling the entire territory as Palestine. The restaurant, Hinds Hall, is a branch of the Ayat chain and features a visual depiction of the Middle East with Israel removed.
The menu at Hinds Hall includes a play on the slogan "from the river to the sea," which has become a hallmark of pro-Hamas demonstrations. The restaurant's interior walls feature words such as "Resilience," "Freedom," and "Save our children," and the menu states that the restaurant is committed to creating a welcoming space for all.
Mamdani's visit to the restaurant came after he was heckled by hundreds of radical protesters at a Union Square vigil marking the third anniversary of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks. The protesters shouted "Traitor!" at Mamdani and chanted "Death to the IDF!" and "Long live Hamas."
The visit has been criticized by some, including journalist and political commentator Mark Halperin, who said that Mamdani's actions are "antisemitic." Mamdani has acknowledged the harm caused by Hamas but has also criticized Israel's conduct in Gaza, describing it as a "devastating, ongoing genocide" and accusing Israel of "occupation" and "apartheid."
