Netanyahu accuses NYC Mayor Mamdani of 'fomenting hate' after arrest threat
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he plans to attend the UN General Assembly in New York this autumn, despite Mayor Zohran Mamdani's earlier arrest threat, which was later retracted.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced his intention to attend the UN General Assembly in New York City this fall, despite previous threats of arrest from the city's mayor, Zohran Mamdani. Mamdani, a staunch supporter of Palestinian rights, walked back that threat last week, acknowledging he lacks the legal authority to arrest Netanyahu on a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
In an interview with Fox News on Sunday, Netanyahu said he was "not concerned" about Mamdani's earlier pledge and accused the mayor of "fomenting hate." "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 stated.
The prime minister referenced a pair of stabbings in New York on Thursday, where a suspect stabbed a Jewish man and an Asian man just blocks apart. The suspect allegedly shouted "Allahu akbar" during the attacks and has been charged with hate crimes. Both victims survived. Netanyahu said Jewish New Yorkers were "afraid right now."
Mamdani, who made opposition to Israel's military operation in Gaza a key part of his campaign last year, had promised to enforce the ICC arrest warrant for Netanyahu, which accuses the prime minister of war crimes in Gaza. Israel has denied the charges, with Netanyahu calling them "bogus."
After being pressed by the New York Times, Mamdani said his administration reviewed the law and found it lacks independent legal authority to enforce the warrant. He urged the federal government to arrest Netanyahu and stated, "Benjamin Netanyahu is not welcome in New York City."
The conflict in Gaza began after the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed about 1,200 people and took 251 hostages. Since then, over 73,000 people have been killed in Israeli attacks, including more than 21,000 children, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, whose figures are considered reliable by the UN.
