New Jersey Mayor Calls City ‘Capital of Palestine in the US’

In a troubling development for Jewish communities and Israel supporters across the United States, the city of Paterson, New Jersey, is undergoing a radical transformation that raises serious concerns about the spread of anti-Israel sentiment and Islamist influence in American municipalities. Paterson is just a 20 minute drive away from Teaneck.

During a Ramadan ceremony on February 28, Mayor Andre Sayegh made a striking declaration: “Paterson is the capital of Palestine in the United States of America.” His statement, made at the Hilal Lighting Ceremony—an event backed by the Palestinian American Community Center (PACC) and the Islamic Center of Passaic County (ICPC)—signals the growing dominance of pro-Palestinian activism in the city.

Paterson has increasingly become a focal point for the promotion of Palestinian nationalism and Islamist policies. The city has implemented several measures that reflect a deliberate shift towards Islamic governance including introducing official Eid school closures, mandated halal food in public schools, and even allows the Adhan—the Islamic call to prayer—to be broadcast publicly across the city.

This transformation of an American city into a base for Palestinian nationalism and Islamist influence is deeply concerning. While cities across the U.S. should welcome diversity, they must not allow their political and cultural landscapes to be overtaken by ideologies that promote division, intolerance, and hostility towards Israel and its supporters.