Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday (July 26) accused New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani of “fomenting hate” after the mayor said Netanyahu should be arrested if he visits the city for the United Nations General Assembly.
Netanyahu said he plans to travel to New York in September to address the annual UN gathering of world leaders despite Mamdani’s comments that the Israeli leader would not be welcome in the city.
Speaking to Fox News, Netanyahu criticised the mayor’s stance, saying the role of a mayor was to represent all residents.
“He’s supposed to be the mayor of all New Yorkers — Jews, Christians, Muslims, everyone,” Netanyahu said. “But he’s trying to turn one group against the other.”
Mamdani calls Netanyahu a ‘war criminal’
Mamdani, who has been a vocal critic of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, said last week that Netanyahu should face arrest over an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant if he enters New York.
While acknowledging that New York City does not have the legal authority to enforce an ICC arrest warrant, Mamdani urged the federal government to act.
Netanyahu rejects ICC charges
Netanyahu dismissed the ICC’s allegations against him as “bogus” and accused the court of attempting to divert attention from controversies surrounding its leadership.
The ICC has accused Netanyahu, his former defence minister and the late Hamas leader of crimes against humanity linked to the Gaza war.
Netanyahu also pointed to allegations of sexual misconduct involving the ICC’s former chief prosecutor, who was removed from the post on Friday.
Gaza war fuels political divide
The dispute comes amid growing political divisions in the United States over Israel’s war in Gaza, which began after the Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023.
Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has drawn international criticism, with Palestinian health officials reporting more than 73,000 deaths during the offensive, including many women and children.
The October 7 Hamas attack killed around 1,200 people in Israel, mostly civilians, and triggered the ongoing conflict.
Netanyahu warns of declining US support for Israel
Netanyahu also warned that traditional bipartisan support for Israel in the United States was under pressure, particularly among progressive Democrats aligned with Mamdani’s political wing.
“I think that the whole thing is wrong,” Netanyahu said, while warning about rising antisemitism in the US and other Western countries.
He said Jewish communities, including those in New York — home to one of the world’s largest Jewish populations — were increasingly feeling uncomfortable.
“Jews feel very uncomfortable,” Netanyahu said. “And I think it’s wrong. The whole thing is wrong.”
Trump assures Netanyahu of protection during US visit
US President Donald Trump has assured Netanyahu that he will not be arrested while visiting America.
In a social media post, Trump said Netanyahu “will not be arrested, in any way, shape, or form, while in the United States of America.”
Netanyahu is expected to visit Washington this week to meet Trump and attend memorial services for the late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina.
Netanyahu described Graham, a longtime supporter of Israel, as an “extraordinary American patriot” following his death.
