"Which country will you visit first?" is a stupid question to ask. It is not the mayor's job to be traveling the world and conducting diplomacy. That's what the federal government is for. The question was clearly meant to trap the anti-establishment candidate. Everyone predictibly answered "muh gweatest ally!!!". Mamdani actually gave the correct answer "I won't be visiting anyone". The moderators knew he would do that so they immediately pounced on him "Are you saying you won't visit ISRA-HELL?!" which is a classic gotcha question. He says no and can now be portrayed as a big bad anti-semite. The newspapers immediately ran with the "Mamdani hates Israel" with their pre-made articles. The debate was a setup.
Now with all that said let us not pretend that Mamdani is "based". He doesn't actually hate Israel. He's only acting like it to get the progressives on his side. AOC did the same thing. She pooh-pooh'd israel during the campaign but then did a 180 as soon as she was (s)elected and now toes the line along with everybody.
It's the oldest trick in the book and conservatives continue to fall for it. Just because a candidate *says* something doesn't mean shit. Talk is cheap. There is not a single politician in Congress that voted "NAY" on a pro-Israel resolution. Even MTG, everyone's favourite "anti-semite" voted "present" which is cowardly. You don't win a war by being neutral. You have got to take the fight to the enemy is nobody is willing to do it. Trump made it clear where his allegiance lies and since he's the sugar daddy of MAGA that makes the enitre movement rotten. America will never be great if Americans continue to vote for zionist scumbags.
I am 100% convinced that Mamdani *will* travel to Israel and kiss the wall at some point. He'd be a fool not to do it. He has a lot to gain by playing nice with the jews and absolutely nothing to lose. What will the progressives do when he stabs them in the back, vote for the *other* progressive mayor? There isn't one. Just like there isn't another Trump. You are stuck with "your" candidate and the candidates know it. There is no price to pay for betraying the people which is why everyone is doing it. Trump will endorse an even greater zionist than himself and MAGA will fall in line. What choice do they have? The two-party system ensures that the two-party system will prevail. It is fool-proof. A third party candidate will never unite the Left and the Right. He will be described as either "conservative" or "liberal" ensuring the other side's victory. It was true 150 years ago and it's true today.