NEW YORK: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sharply criticised New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani during his address to the 81st United Nations General Assembly, accusing him of spreading what Netanyahu described as false claims about Israel and putting the city’s Jewish community at risk.
Addressing Mamdani directly during his speech, Netanyahu claimed that many Jewish New Yorkers no longer feel safe since Mamdani was elected mayor. He also called Mamdani an “antisemitic mayor” and accused him of distorting Israel’s actions in Gaza. These were Netanyahu’s allegations, while Mamdani has rejected accusations that his criticism of Israel amounts to antisemitism.
The confrontation marked another escalation in the increasingly public dispute between the Israeli prime minister and the New York mayor.
‘You Can’t Silence Me’
Netanyahu also accused Mamdani of trying to prevent him from coming to New York and attempting to silence him.
“I’m coming to the UN,” Netanyahu had said ahead of his address, promising to respond directly to Mamdani and defend Israel’s actions. During the speech, he reiterated that he could not be silenced.
Mamdani has been a vocal critic of Israel’s military operations in Gaza and has described Netanyahu as a “war criminal.” He has also called for the enforcement of the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant against Netanyahu. However, Mamdani subsequently acknowledged that New York City does not have independent legal authority to enforce the warrant.
Mamdani later responded to Netanyahu’s UN address by accusing the Israeli prime minister of using the UN platform to spread what he called “baseless lies” about Israel’s actions in Gaza.
Netanyahu Praises Trump
During his UN address, Netanyahu also praised US President Donald Trump for his support of Israel, saying Israel had no greater partner than Trump.
The Netanyahu-Mamdani clash came shortly after Mamdani met Trump in New York. Despite their differing political positions, the two discussed cooperation on issues concerning New York City.
Netanyahu’s speech was also accompanied by visible protests. Dozens of UN delegates walked out as he took the podium, highlighting the international divisions surrounding Israel’s military actions and the Gaza conflict.
Protests were also reported outside the UN headquarters, with police detaining demonstrators after authorities said roads had been blocked.
The exchange between Netanyahu and Mamdani has brought several contentious issues back into focus at the UN, including Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, allegations of violations of international law, the ICC arrest warrant against Netanyahu and the debate over antisemitism and criticism of Israel.
