New Smear Campaign Links Zohran Mamdani to Hamas
A new wave of propaganda has emerged against New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, who made history by winning the Democratic Party’s primary earlier this year. His victory sent shockwaves across the U.S. political arena, but also triggered attacks from Islamophobic, pro-Israel, and Hindu nationalist circles. The latest attempt seeks to link him with Hamas through controversial allegations.
According to The Financial Express, Mamdani’s mother, renowned filmmaker Mira Nair, allegedly received millions of dollars in funding from Qatar, a country long criticized for its ties to Hamas. Critics argue that because Nair’s films and theatre projects were supported by Qatari institutions, Mamdani himself is indirectly connected to the Palestinian group.
The report claims that since 2009, Sheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad Al-Thani, sister of Qatar’s ruling Emir, has provided direct and indirect support to Nair’s films. The Doha Film Institute, under her leadership, funded Nair’s 2012 film The Reluctant Fundamentalist with a $15 million budget and collaborated on several cultural projects. Nair’s works have frequently been featured at Qatari festivals and exhibitions, including the inaugural Doha Tribeca Film Festival in 2009. More recently, Qatar Airways and Qatar Creates sponsored a stage adaptation of Monsoon Wedding during the 2022 FIFA World Cup celebrations.
Critics further allege that Sheikha Al-Thani has openly boosted Mamdani’s mayoral bid, citing her Instagram posts highlighting his polling strength and a TikTok comment on a video with his mother. Opponents claim this reflects an “unusual relationship” between foreign royalty and a U.S. political campaign.
Mamdani’s campaign has strongly rejected the accusations, calling them an attempt to weaponize his mother’s career. Campaign spokesperson Dora Pekec said: Using his mother’s professional history to smear Zohran is an insult to voters who care about real issues, not manufactured distractions.
Mamdani himself emphasized that he has never visited Qatar nor received financial support from the country. His campaign remains focused on progressive pledges, including higher corporate taxes, free childcare, free transit services, and expanded healthcare access for the transgender community.
Supporters of Donald Trump’s Make America Great Again” (MAGA) movement have amplified the controversy online. One X (formerly Twitter) user wrote: “Hamas-backed Qatar invested millions in Mira Nair’s projects. She boycotts Israel, and she is Zohran Mamdani’s mother. Now a Qatari royal supports his mayoral run. This is foreign money, antisemitism, and politics colliding.
Another user added, You may know Zohran Mamdani’s mother is a famous filmmaker. But did you know how much funding she took from Qatar — a Hamas-supporting state?
Mamdani, 33, stunned observers earlier this year by defeating Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic nomination. Known for his outspoken criticism of Israel and his far-left platform, he continues to be at the center of heated debates in New York and beyond.
