New York City is spending millions to fight antisemitism. The money is going to partners who criticize Israel. Mayor Zohran Mamdani unveiled a $30 million plan this month. He called it a key step for Jewish safety. The strategy includes a $6.4 million grant to PATH. This group fights hate crimes with community partners. One partner is the Arab American Association of New York. Critics say this link undermines the mayor's goal.
Antisemitic acts dominate city hate crime data in 2026. They account for roughly 9 percent of all incidents. Jewish hate crimes reached 181 in eight months. One hundred thirty-one of those were felony offenses. Crimes against Muslims totaled 21. Crimes against homosexuals totaled 29. The overall hate crime rate rose 16 percent. Mamdani promised Jewish residents could live peacefully. He said the city would stand with them.
The funding path raises questions about alignment. PATH distributes money to six partner organizations. AAANY is one of those partners. This connection is not new. Former Mayor Bill de Blasio used the same model in 2021. He gave $3 million to PATH for similar goals. He praised these groups as community leaders. He claimed they would eliminate hate once and for all.
AAANY has faced scrutiny for its political stance. It has given over $223,000 to CAIR-NY since 2021. CAIR-NY is linked to the national CAIR organization. Federal prosecutors named CAIR an unindicted co-conspirator in 2007. That case involved terrorism financing charges. AAANY advocates for cutting ties with Israel. It supports restrictions on donations to Israeli settlements.
Marwa Janini leads AAANY as executive director. She visited Cairo to pack food aid for Gaza. She argued that aid alone is not enough. She called for a ceasefire resolution in City Council. She described the conflict as a U.S.-funded genocide. These views align with Mamdani's past legislative efforts. AAANY rallied behind his bill to restrict nonprofit donations. The bill cited violations of the Geneva Conventions.
Linda Sarsour formerly led AAANY. She is a known ally of Mamdani. She endorsed his campaign for the New York Assembly. She called him her favorite guy in 2020. Sarsour was removed from the Women's March leadership. The group cited allegations of antisemitism. She also embraced Louis Farrakhan, a notorious antisemite. The Anti-Defamation League rejected her positions in 2017. They said she tried to delegitimize the state of Israel.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized Mamdani recently. He accused the mayor of fomenting hate. He said the rhetoric makes New York Jews afraid. The Mayor’s Office did not respond to questions. They did not address concerns about the AAANY link. The money is already allocated in the budget. The partnerships are already established in law. Voters can see where the funds flow.