Pro-Israel rabbis demand Mamdani apologise for likening Aipac to 'monsters' Submitted by MEE staff on Fri, 06/26/2026 - 17:52 The New York City mayor said he was quoting the Marxist philosopher Gramsci to describe the 'status quo' in Palestine Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks during a rally with immigration advocates in New York City on 25 June 2026 (Eduardo Munoz/Reuters) Off More than 700 pro-Israel rabbis have signed onto an open letter published on Friday calling on New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani to retract his comments likening the pro-Israel lobbying group Aipac to "monsters". The American Israel Public Affairs Committee is among the most powerful advocacy groups working on foreign policy in the US , spending millions  to oust political candidates who are critical of Israel. The letter was organised by the relatively new advocacy group The Jewish Majority , founded by an Aipac veteran of nearly two decades, Jonathan Schulman .