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Netanyahu accuses Mamdani of dividing New Yorkers
Israeli leader says he will attend the UN General Assembly despite mayor's earlier arrest pledge and criticism.
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Pranavi Sharma - Mon, 27, Jul 2026
- 03:36 EDT
- 33
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani / X
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he plans to attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York this autumn despite New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's earlier pledge to seek his arrest, accusing the mayor of "fomenting hate" in comments made during a Fox News interview aired on July 26.
ALSO READ: Mamdani drops Netanyahu arrest pledge
Netanyahu said he was "not concerned" about Mamdani's previous remarks after the mayor acknowledged last week that he does not have the legal authority to arrest the Israeli prime minister based on a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
"He's supposed to be the mayor of all New Yorkers, Jews, Christians, Muslims, everyone, but he's trying to turn one group against the other," Netanyahu said. He accused Mamdani of "fomenting hate."
Netanyahu linked his criticism to two stabbing attacks in New York on July 23, in which a suspect allegedly stabbed a Jewish man and an Asian man several blocks apart. According to police, the suspect shouted "Allahu akbar" during the attacks and has been charged with hate crimes in connection with both victims. Both men survived the assaults, which prompted condemnation from Jewish and Asian American community leaders.
Following the attacks, Netanyahu said Jewish residents of New York were "afraid right now."
The mayor's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Mamdani, a vocal supporter of Palestinian rights, made opposition to Israel's military campaign in Gaza a central issue during his mayoral campaign. In remarks last week, he described Netanyahu as a "war criminal."
During the campaign, Mamdani pledged to enforce the ICC's 2024 arrest warrant for Netanyahu. The court accused the Israeli leader of committing war crimes in Gaza. Israel has denied the allegations, and Netanyahu has dismissed the charges as "bogus."
After being questioned by The New York Times about his campaign pledge, Mamdani said his administration had reviewed the law and determined, "We do not have the independent legal authority to enforce this warrant."
He added that the federal government should arrest Netanyahu and said, "Benjamin Netanyahu is not welcome in New York City."
The ICC warrant stems from allegations related to Israel's military campaign in Gaza, which began after the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. About 1,200 people were killed and 251 were taken hostage in the attack.
Since then, more than 73,000 people have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza, including more than 21,000 children, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry. The United Nations has said the ministry's casualty figures are considered reliable.
Discover more at New India Abroad.
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