At the U.N. General Assembly, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani 'the antisemitic mayor of New York' and blamed his criticism of Israel for making Jews feel unsafe in the city. Mamdani responded by calling Netanyahu’s claims 'baseless lies' and reiterated accusations tied to an ICC arrest warrant.
Netanyahu publicly accused Mayor Zohran Mamdani of spreading lies about Israel and making Jewish New Yorkers feel unsafe, using part of his U.N. General Assembly speech to single him out.
Mamdani has been a vocal critic of Israel’s actions in Gaza, has called Netanyahu a 'war criminal,' and says his advocacy for Palestinian rights is not antisemitic.
# What happened
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu used a U.N. General Assembly speech to sharply criticize New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Netanyahu called Mamdani "the antisemitic mayor of New York," accused him of spreading lies about Israel's actions in Gaza, and said many Jewish residents no longer feel safe in the city since Mamdani was elected.
Mayor Mamdani has been an outspoken critic of Israel's military campaign in Gaza and has repeatedly described Netanyahu as a "war criminal" and "the architect of a horrific genocide against the Palestinian people." Mamdani rejects the charge that his criticism amounts to antisemitism.
# Immediate responses
Netanyahu tied his attack on Mamdani to broader arguments defending Israel's conduct and citing U.S. support. He also referenced that some delegates walked out as he began his address. Mamdani issued a statement calling Netanyahu's claims "baseless lies meant to sanitize his genocide of Palestinians," and pointed to an International Criminal Court arrest warrant that names Netanyahu in allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Around 100 people were arrested near the U.N. during protests around Netanyahu's appearance. The arrests included public figures involved in demonstrations, according to the advocacy group Jewish Voice for Peace.
# Context that matters
# Why this exchange matters to readers in New York and beyond
The confrontation touches on several issues that affect local and international audiences: public safety and perceptions of safety among Jewish New Yorkers, limits of municipal authority when international legal actions are involved, and how global conflicts shape local politics. The mayor's criticism of Israel and public calls around the ICC warrant have domestic legal and diplomatic implications, while Netanyahu's international platform at the U.N. amplifies his response.
# What to watch next
Israeli premier says “genocide” charge the “greatest lie of the 21st century.” -- The post Netanyahu calls Mamdani an antisemite who endangers Jews in New York appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency .
The Israeli prime minister accused Mayor Zohran Mamdani, an outspoken critic of Israel, of antisemitism. The mayor has become a political foil for the prime minister.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu used a Thursday speech at the United Nations to accuse New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani of making the city unsafe for Jews and of repeatedly charging Israel with genocide in Gaza. Netanyahu noted that Mamdani had tried to keep him from speaking by calling for his arrest ahead
“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attacked New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani in a video Tuesday, escalating a feud with one of his most prominent U.S. critics as he travels to the United Nations General Assembly,” Bloomberg reports. “‘Shame on you, Mr. Mamdani,’ Netanyahu said in the video posted to social media,
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu singled out Mayor Zohran Mamdani for a direct attack from the United Nations General Assembly podium Thursday, calling him “the antisemitic mayor of New York” and accusing Hizzoner of trying to silence him. The broadside came near the end of a roughly 40-minute address that beg
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