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Between Mamdani’s Victory and the Arab Discourse:A Perspective | AiTME #8 | An article by Avi Melamed | Podcast version powered by Ai.
In his recent analysis, Avi Melamed offers a compelling look at the open and hidden dialogue emerging in the Arab world following Zohran Mamdani’s electoral victory — and how it reflects the broader complexity of Arab and Muslim relations with the West in general and with the United States in particular.
An Sense of Pride
Melamed notes that Mamdani’s victory was met with satisfaction and even enthusiasm across much of the Arab world. As Arab commentator Hussein Jallad explains in his article ‘A leftist Muslim and a supporter of Gaza… Is Zohran Mamdani one of us?”:
“Perhaps what makes him such a fascinating figure to Arabs is this rare combination: he is the son of immigrants, an outspoken leftist activist, an active member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), and—most importantly—a familiar face in pro-Gaza and ceasefire protests.”
This combination, Melamed observes, though Mamdani is not an Arab, his victory embodies for many Arabs a symbolic ideal: a Muslim immigrant’s son who has succeeded within the Western establishment while publicly aligning himself with progressive values and solidarity with Palestinians.
The Islamist Reading: A Religious and Ideological Victory
In Islamist circles, Mamdani’s victory has been framed differently — as a religious, ideological, and political triumph for Islam.
At the core of Islamic theology, Melamed reminds us, lies the belief in the absolute sovereignty of Allah over all humankind. Any victory achieved by a Muslim, especially in the West, can thus be interpreted as a step toward realizing Allah’s divine authority on earth.
Moreover, Islamists perceive Mamdani’s socialist orientation as validation of Islam’s moral superiority — where principles of social justice and equality triumph over the perceived moral decay and materialism of Western capitalism.
From this viewpoint, Mamdani’s victory represents not just a political achievement, but a symbolic victory of Islam itself.
However, Melamed presents a different narrative within the Arab discourse — one that cools or tempers the Islamist enthusiasm. As Noureddine Al-Alawi writes in his article ‘Mamdani’s victory – A change From Within’: “Islamist factions see in him a Muslim conqueror who will lead a new wave of ‘conquests’ in New York! We found that this optimism reveals, on one hand, the desperation of the defeated clinging to any straw, and on the other, a kind of lazy political fatalism—relying on the outcome of a battle they did not fight in, misunderstanding it, yet expecting to reap its rewards.”
Melamed draws attention to Al-Alawi’s evocative phrasing — “desperation of the defeated clinging to any straw” and “lazy political fatalism” — as a window into a deeper dynamic. Many Muslim theologians and intellectuals, he explains, struggle to reconcile the widespread social, economic, and environmental crises plaguing Muslim societies with the undeniable strength of Western civilization.
In this context, clinging to Mamdani’s success becomes a form of psychological consolation — a symbolic “Muslim victory” compensating for internal weaknesses.
The Palestinian Context
Another theme in the Arab discussion concerns the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, particularly in the aftermath of October 7 and the war in Gaza.
Many Arab commentators link Mamdani’s victory to the growing pro-Palestinian sentiment among Western audiences, especially the younger generation. They also see an ideological link between Mamdani’s leftist, anti-capitalist worldview and criticism of Israel’s Western backers — arguing that Western capital funds Israeli military power, and therefore opposing capitalism is indirectly a stand for Palestine.
Yet, two other narratives also surface in the Arab debate: skepticism about Mamdani’s ability to fulfill his promises, and warnings against premature triumphalism and euphoria.
As former Tunisian Minister of Culture AL Mahdi Mabruk wrote in his article “In celebrating Zohran Mamdani’s victory.” “We should not indulge too much in celebratory interpretations of his election as Dean of New York, for history is cunning — it may yet conceal for us what will disappoint our good omen. “We must beware the illusion that a symbolic victory can alter deep historical realities. And that is what we hope will not happen”.
Lebanese commentator Hazem Saghieh is even blunter, writing in his article titled ‘From New York to Gaza’: ‘Anyone who sees Mamdani’s victory as a sweeping triumph over capitalism, white identity, the West, and Israel is a fool.‘
Conclusion
Through these lenses, Avi Melamed situates Mamdani’s victory within a broader Arab and Muslim discourse — one that blends pride, hope, self-criticism, and disillusionment.
Behind the emotional reactions lies a deeper struggle to define what “victory” means in an age where symbols often replace substance.
Ultimately, Mamdani’s win reveals less about Islam’s strength or the West’s decline — and more about the Arab world’s ongoing challenges and search for path and reform— domestically and regionally — rather than a project of liberation.”
This article is also available as a Podcast: the AiTME Podcast. This Podcast was written and created by Avi Melamed, Middle East Intelligence Analyst and Founder of Inside The Middle East [ITME], an institute dedicated to apolitical, non-partisan education about the Middle East.
“This podcast is made possible by supporters like you. ITME is an independent, nonprofit institute committed to apolitical, intelligence-based Middle East education.
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Between Mamdani’s Victory and the Arab Discourse:A Perspective | AiTME #8 | An article by Avi Melamed | Podcast version powered by Ai.
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