Addressing the United Nations on Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Mayor Zohran Mamdani of endangering Jewish New Yorkers through his criticism of Israeli military actions in Gaza, claiming the official has spread lies about Israel.
Calling Mamdani "the antisemitic mayor of New York," Netanyahu used part of his speech to the United Nations General Assembly to criticize the city leader who had threatened to have him detained if he visited the city.
"Mr. Mamdani, since you were elected mayor of this city, many Jews no longer feel safe in New York. They talk to me, they tell me ‘this isn’t the city we remember, it changed so quickly,’" Netanyahu said.
The dispute represents the latest clash between Netanyahu and New York City's first Muslim mayor, who has long remained a vocal critic of Israel's military campaign in Gaza and has called Netanyahu a "war criminal" who is "the architect of a horrific genocide against the Palestinian people."
The mayor met with U.S. President Donald Trump this week in New York. Netanyahu, in his Thursday speech, praised the president for his support of Israel.
Mamdani’s office did not immediately comment on Netanyahu’s speech.
During his mayoral campaign last year, Mamdani stated he would order New York police to execute an International Criminal Court arrest warrant against Netanyahu, though he has more recently acknowledged the city lacks legal authority to detain him. The mayor has subsequently urged the federal government to arrest Netanyahu, although U.S. President Donald Trump has ensured the prime minister will not be arrested.
"Mr. Mamdani, you tried to stop me from coming here. You tried to silence me. Well, you can’t silence me and you can’t silence the truth," Netanyahu said in his speech.
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