Netanyahu Responds to New York Mayor: He Does Not Frighten Me, He Is Spreading Hatred and Dividing Communities

Benjamin Netanyahu has pushed back against statements by New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, whom the Israeli prime minister accused of “inciting hatred” and creating divisions among the city’s communities.

During an interview with Fox News, Netanyahu said he would not abandon plans to attend the UN General Assembly, which will be held in New York this fall. He said he would travel to the city despite Mamdani’s previous claims that he would arrest him in enforcement of the International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant.

“I am not concerned. He should be the mayor of all citizens—Jews, Muslims, Christians and everyone else—not incite division among them,” Netanyahu said.

The Israeli prime minister’s response followed Mamdani’s acknowledgment last week that he does not have the legal authority to execute the ICC arrest warrant. The mayor explained that the city administration had reviewed the law and determined that taking such action does not fall within the municipality’s jurisdiction.

Despite this clarification, Mamdani reiterated that Netanyahu “is not welcome in New York.” He also called on United States federal authorities to act if the Israeli prime minister travels to the city.

Netanyahu also spoke about two recent stabbing attacks in New York in which a Jewish man and an Asian man were injured. Police said the suspect had shouted “Allahu Akbar” during the attacks and is now facing hate crime charges. According to the Israeli prime minister, these incidents have heightened the sense of insecurity within the city’s Jewish community.

Known for his pro-Palestinian positions, Mamdani had previously called Netanyahu a “war criminal.” During the campaign, he had also pledged to execute the ICC arrest warrant against him.

The arrest warrant for Netanyahu was issued in 2024 by the International Criminal Court over allegations related to war crimes in Gaza. Israel has denied the allegations and dismissed them as baseless.