NEW YORK (VINnews) — New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Monday doubled down on his criticism of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) after some members of the Jewish community, including Democratic Rep. Josh Gottheimer, expressed alarm over his description of the pro-Israel lobbying group as “monsters who move dark money.”

“I want to be very clear,” Mamdani said. “We’re talking about a status quo where children are being killed on a daily basis.”

Mamdani said more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli military since the ceasefire and cited the death of Al Jazeera journalist Ahmed Wishah in an Israeli strike over the weekend.

He argued that AIPAC has supported policies that perpetuate the conflict and said the organization helps defend the status quo through campaign contributions and outside political spending.

“And it is a status quo of immorality,” Mamdani said. “It is one that I will not accept.”

Mamdani also repeated his claim that pro-Israel political spending is sometimes routed through organizations whose donors are not publicly disclosed until after elections.

“Oftentimes they also support the status quo through dark money,” Mamdani said.

“I think it is important that when we ask ourselves how such death and destruction is happening overseas, we also name those who allow it to take place,” he added.

The remarks drew criticism from some Jewish leaders and pro-Israel advocates, who contend that Mamdani’s rhetoric unfairly demonizes AIPAC and risks deepening divisions at a time of heightened concerns about antisemitism and the war in Gaza.