At a Jewish community forum in Sherman Oaks, the candidates also fielded questions about antisemitism, BDS, homelessness and the 2028 Olympics.
Karen Bass and Nithya Raman shared a stage Tuesday night at the Jewish Los Angeles Mayoral Forum, though not at the same time. Each candidate sat for a separate, back-to-back conversation with Spectrum News anchor Alex Cohen. The event was co-hosted by Jewish Federation Los Angeles, the Skirball Cultural Center and other organizations.
The sharpest divide came over Israel’s war in Gaza, and whether to call it a genocide. Raman said she had relied on international experts, including Israeli ones, and explained her use of the word: “I used it because I felt compelled to speak out about issues that we saw, and images that are coming, the targeting of hospitals, the deaths of children.”
Bass, asked if the term was appropriate, answered differently. “When I think of foreign affairs, especially conflicts, my focus is on how they impact the city of L.A. … and no, I don’t.”
Raman was also pressed on appearing on streamer Hasan Piker’s program, and she defended reaching voters on platforms outside traditional news. As an example, she said she wished Kamala Harris had gone on Joe Rogan’s podcast during her campaign. Asked by Cohen whether she would appear on a show hosted by someone known for hateful remarks about another group, Raman said, “I would hope so,” then added that she would weigh such invitations case by case.
The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement produced another tense exchange. Raman called BDS “a legitimate form of peaceful protest,” while saying it is not part of her campaign platform. Bass said she would oppose any City Hall legislation calling for BDS.
The forum eventually returned to local matters. Bass reflected on being out of Los Angeles during the Palisades fire, calling it “one of the worst moments I have experienced” and saying, “lesson learned,” according to the Associated Press. Both candidates also addressed housing, homelessness and preparations for the 2028 Olympics, NBC Los Angeles reported.
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