Zohran Mamdani, the 33-year-old Democratic Socialist mounting a strong campaign in New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary, has consistently declined to say he would visit Israel if elected, setting the stage for a 75-year-old tradition to potentially come to an end.

Ask each one of them what they think about BDS,” he advised activists who were then getting ready for the 2021 mayoral race, referring to the movement to boycott, divest and sanction Israel. “And not what they think about the right to engage in it,

Rep. Ocasio-Cortez endorses Democratic socialist candidate Zohran Mamdani the day after Mamdani refused to say he supports Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state in a debate with other mayoral candidates.