New York Magazine faces backlash over 'Habibi City' issue

New York Magazine is facing significant backlash following the release of its “Habibi City” issue, which focuses on South Asian and North African cultural scenes in New York. Critics, including prominent Jewish leaders and historians, have accused the publication of erasing Jewish identity and exhibiting antisemitic bias.

Specific criticisms center on an article that referred to Israel as “the land mass currently called Israel” and another that reportedly grouped Zionism with “xenophobia” and “Islamophobia.” Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, described the coverage as a “blatant, disgusting double standard,” noting that the magazine’s framing lacks factual context regarding the Jewish people’s request for self-determination.

Other commentators, such as historian Simon Sebag Montefiore and Mizrahi Jew Hen Mazzig, argued that the feature failed to include the diverse Middle Eastern identities that fall outside of specific political narratives. Critics suggested the issue, intended to celebrate culture, instead functioned as a political screed that ignores the complexities of Middle Eastern heritage.