After weeks of pressure over his defense of the phrase "globalize the intifada," Democratic New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani said Sunday evening he will now "discourage" its use.

Both Republicans and Democrats have repeatedly criticized Mamdani for his past rhetoric and policy proposals, arguing he is too extreme to represent even a Democratic stronghold like New York.

This comes after Mamdani refused to condemn the phrase "globalize the intifada" throughout his campaign for the Democratic mayoral nomination, a phrase which is associated with violence against Israel. The political rise of Mamdani, the current favorite to win the mayoral race, has alarmed Republicans and more moderate Democrats.

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MSNBC host and activist Al Sharpton, who has engaged in controversial past rhetoric himself, recalled a previous interview where Mamdani said that while he would not use such rhetoric himself, he would not police the speech of other people. 

"But we both know words matter," Sharpton said. "Have your personal views on the phrase ‘global intifada’ changed since you’ve been running for mayor? Do you understand those that see it in a more threatening way than saying, ‘I’m just not going to police other people’s language?’"

"Yes, they have," Mamdani replied. "And, you know, when we won the primary election, I said on that stage that I know that millions of New Yorkers care deeply about what happens in Israel and Palestine — and I’m one of those New Yorkers."

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Mamdani said he committed to hearing from different communities across New York City, recalling one meeting in particular that influenced him.

"I’ve met with Jewish elected officials, with rabbis, with community leaders. And there was one rabbi that spoke to me about how that phrase, for her, brought back memories of bus bombings in Haifa, of restaurant attacks in Jerusalem," he said. "And I knew that from what she was sharing with me that she had a fear, as she said, that that could come home to New York City. And so, in having that conversation with her, I knew that the gap between the intent that I have heard some New Yorkers share with the use of that language, of calling for the end of the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land, was disconnected from the impact it was having in that same conversation I was having with that rabbi."

He concluded, "So I have said, after having that conversation, that this is language I would discourage."

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