Mamdani Ally Listed by Hamas-Linked Group, Sarsour Denies Invite

A Hamas-linked group put American activist Linda Sarsour on the guest list for a November conference in Istanbul as “expected to participate,” but Sarsour says she never accepted an invitation. The Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad included her name among listed guests and drew immediate scrutiny. “This is misinformation and I will not be attending this conference,” she said in an email.

Israel labeled the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad a Hamas front in 2021, saying the group operated as a proxy to push Hamas’s political agenda. Officials later released documents they say show senior Hamas operatives working inside the PCPA and even praise from a now-deceased Hamas leader. That designation keeps the organization under scrutiny whenever public figures show up on its announcements.

Sarsour has been a visible backer of Zohran Mamdani and has appeared at events tied to his mayoral push in New York. Her profile on the left and her ties to Mamdani have become a focal point for critics concerned about judgment and influence. Republicans are pressing for clarity on how a local campaign ends up connected, even indirectly, to groups that Israel lists as terror-affiliated.

Critics point to Mamdani’s initial response after Oct. 7, 2023, when he blamed Israeli “occupation” and “apartheid” without an explicit condemnation of Hamas. On the second anniversary he did call the killings a “horrific war crime,” but many noted his statement emphasized criticism of Israel more than condemning the attackers. From a Republican perspective, that kind of selective emphasis raises real questions about judgment for someone seeking mayoral power in a major city.

The PCPA says the forum will address what it calls threats to Palestinian land and Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, language that is clearly charged. When a group frames a conference in those terms, guest lists stop being mere programming and start looking like political endorsements. That makes any unexpected name on the roster a legitimate concern for voters and opponents alike.

The PCPA’s public roster included names that observers have tied to militant or controversial networks, such as Hisham Abu Mahfouz and Munir Shafiq. Reporting and researcher work has flagged contacts between some listed figures and known Hamas representatives, and photos and meeting records have fueled those links. For a candidate, even distant associations like these are politically combustible.

Even international activists got pulled into the story when Israel tied Greta Thunberg’s flotilla near Gaza to the PCPA, a link that surprised many observers. The crossover between high-profile activism and groups Israel flags adds another awkward layer for local politicians with overlapping supporter networks.

Mamdani’s campaign did not comment, and his rise since beating more moderate Democrats in the June primary has been rapid. He now tops several polls for November, which makes questions about associations and vetting more pressing. Republican critics say voters deserve straightforward answers about invitations and the company candidates keep.

The PCPA even applauded President Donald Trump’s newly brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and framed the release of hostages as a victory it attributed to “the steadfastness of the Palestinian people and their heroic resistance.” The group’s public stance on that deal only reinforces why names on its guest list draw scrutiny. Officials and candidates should be clear about whether they accept invitations and why their names appear.