Calif. Jewish leaders blast socialist Mayor Eduardo Martinez over antisemitic conspiracy theories

Jewish leaders and groups in California’s Bay Area have slammed Richmond’s mayor, Eduardo Martinez, for posting hateful antisemitic conspiracies online. They say the mayor’s actions have pushed them to launch a new advocacy organization because they’re worried Jewish hate is on the rise.

Martinez, a proud member of the ultra‑left Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), faced intense calls to resign after he amplified sickening LinkedIn posts that claimed the Bondi Beach terror attack in Australia was a “false flag” operation and blamed Israel for rising antisemitism.

He deleted the posts and issued an apology that read, “We should not conflate Zionism with Judaism,” but many critics say the remorse was half‑hearted and failed to address the real harm.

Sam Yebri, a former Los Angeles City Council candidate with strong ties to the LA Jewish community, called the shared rhetoric “beyond a mistake” and warned that hateful language can have deadly consequences.

“Martinez has repeatedly spread the worst kind of antisemitism, and now he’s endangering the lives of his Jewish constituents,” Yebri told The Post.

Rabbi Dean Kertesz, a longtime Richmond rabbi who describes himself as both pro‑Israel and pro‑Palestinian, also called Martinez’s actions blatant “hatred of Jews.”

“My first reaction is anger,” Kertesz said. “What we’re seeing isn’t legitimate criticism of Israeli policy. It’s hatred of Jews. And that’s the road it leads to.”

The Bay Area Jewish community is so concerned about rising antisemitism that they set up a new political advocacy group last summer, reacting to a growing sense that traditional approaches were no longer enough.

The new group, BAJA, is poised to lobby, pressure lawmakers and engage in hard‑nosed advocacy—a sharp break from the cautious, charity‑only ethos that has long characterized many Jewish institutions.

“During this unprecedented and uncertain moment for Bay Area Jews, it’s crucial that our community feels safe, heard and understood,” Neal Rubin, BAJA president, told The Post. “BAJA is an important new resource that will let us build real influence with lawmakers and advocate forcefully for our shared values.”

Jonathan Mintzer, BAJA’s director, warned that antisemitism is no longer lurking in shadows but surfacing in mainstream politics and public office.

Mintzer said Martinez’s response exposed a deeper breakdown—an outright failure to hold himself accountable. “The mayor should confront what a real apology truly means,” he said, adding that Martinez needed to acknowledge why the posts were harmful, how they stoked fear, and how demonizing language could lay groundwork for violence.

Jeremy Russell, director of marketing and communications at the Bay Area Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC), said that since Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023 attack, Richmond’s City Council—including members aligned with the DSA—has increasingly drawn the Israel‑Hamas war into municipal governance.

The JCRC sent an open letter demanding that “Antisemitic” Richmond Mayor Eduardo Martinez resign. The letter also highlighted a formal resolution declaring the city’s solidarity with the Palestinian people of Gaza.

Jewish leaders say the vote didn’t happen in a vacuum. Instead, it amplified a growing sense of isolation and unease among Jewish residents who saw an international conflict take center stage in local government chambers.

“This is something we felt we had to do,” Russell said of the newly formed advocacy group. “There’s a real perception that this is getting worse.”

Kertesz pointed out that the mayor’s role magnifies the consequences, giving his words and actions added weight and making the fallout far more dangerous.

“He’s the mayor,” Kertesz said. “What he says publicly reflects on the city. He can’t separate his politics from his office.”

The JCRC circulated an open letter calling on Martinez to resign, citing a pattern of behavior rather than a single mistake. It also flagged the mayor’s appearance at the People’s Conference for Palestine in Detroit last summer, where he was photographed wearing a hat with the acronym “DDTTIDF” – the Anti‑Defamation League said the acronym stands for “Death, Death to the Israeli Defense Forces.”

When asked about the hat, Martinez said he did not understand the meaning of the acronym and does not condone violence – an explanation Jewish leaders say only deepened concerns about judgment and awareness.

The DSA, meanwhile, has taken openly anti‑Israel positions, including calls to halt US military aid and support boycott efforts – stances Jewish leaders say have helped normalize antisemitism under the banner of political speech.

“Martinez must resign and leave public life forever, and other DSA candidates and elected officials like him should stop inviting violence against Jews in America,” Yebri said.

The Post reached out to Martinez’s office and the East Bay DSA for comment. The DSA told The Post that it would forward the request to its Steering Committee Chairs.

Stay informed on all the latest news, real-time breaking news updates, and follow all the important headlines in world News on Latest NewsX. Follow us on social media Facebook, Twitter(X), Gettr and subscribe our Youtube Channel.