This statement came up as part of the question "Where would you go after you became mayor?" and Cuomo being the first to answer said "given the hostility and the antisemitism that has been uh shown in New York, I would go to Israel." Mamdani's answer was, "I would stay in New York City. My plans are to address New Yorker's across the five burrows and focus on that." The moderator then interjected, feeling the need to give Mamdani a follow-up question, "Mr. Mamdani, can I just jump in? Would you visit Israel?" which he answered "As mayor, I will be standing up for Jewish New Yorker's, and I'll be meeting them wherever they are across the five burrows, whether that's in their synagogues and temples or at their homes or at the subway platform because ultimately, we need to focus on delivering on their concerns." which the moderator pressed "Yes or no? Do you believe in a Jewish state of Israel?" to which he responds "I believe Israel has a right to exist…" which is quickly followed up by the moderator with "Not as a Jewish state." to which he responded "as a state with equal rights." Cuomo has a little fit about this answer, interjecting, saying, "It has a right to exist as a Jewish state. And his answer was, no, he won't visit Israel that's what he was trying to say." which, Mamdani's final remarks were, "I believe every state should be a state of equal rights."

So the quote in this image isn't even accurate because it's part of an exchange between him and the moderator.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ms8tGyopFrQ

Cuomo was insisting on him to declare the "Israel's right to exists as a Jewish state".