Netanyahu, Mamdani Trade Fiery Accusations Ahead of UN Visit
"Shame on you, Mr. Mandani. Shame on you for supporting Hamas," Netanyahu said in a video posted on X. He went on to accuse Mamdani of "inciting riots against New York Jews."
Mamdani made history as New York City's first Muslim mayor after winning the 2025 election. He has repeatedly denied accusations of antisemitism, and a significant number of Jewish New Yorkers were among his supporters during the campaign. Unlike his predecessors — who governed a city home to the largest Jewish community in the US and traditionally maintained strong ties to Israel, often visiting the country — Mamdani has taken a markedly different approach.
"I'm coming to the UN. I'm going to tell the truth about our heroic soldiers," Netanyahu said. "I'm going to tell the truth about you."
The exchange followed remarks Mamdani made earlier Tuesday, describing Netanyahu as a "war criminal" and the architect of a genocide against Palestinians. "When it comes to Benjamin Netanyahu, I have described him as I believe him to be — a war criminal and an architect of a horrific genocide of the Palestinian people," he told CNN.
"If the International Criminal Court deems someone worthy of an arrest because of a violation of those laws, then who are we to say that anyone should be above that?" Mamdani asked, adding: "I think very clearly that everyone should be held accountable to it." He acknowledged, however, that New York City lacks the legal authority to enforce the ICC arrest warrant against Netanyahu.
Mamdani has previously said Netanyahu is "not welcome" in New York and has urged the US federal government to enforce the international warrant against him. Neither Israel nor its ally the United States belongs to the ICC, and Washington has sanctioned court officials over their pursuit of Netanyahu. Separately, the International Court of Justice — the UN's principal judicial body — is weighing a case brought by South Africa, joined by several other nations, accusing Israel of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.
Shortened visit amid security concerns
An Israeli newspaper reported Monday that Netanyahu's plane will avoid landing at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York over concerns that Mamdani could order it to leave before the Israeli leader's return. The aircraft is expected to land instead at a military base in New Jersey or at Newark Airport, the paper said.
Citing unnamed sources, the newspaper also reported that Netanyahu has decided to shorten his trip and will skip an overnight stay in New York due to concerns over planned protests. He is expected to arrive in the US on Thursday morning — the day of his UN General Assembly address — and depart shortly after for Tel Aviv without meeting President Donald Trump.
Successive US administrations have extended military, financial and diplomatic backing to Israel, including repeated use of Washington's Security Council veto to block measures targeting the country. Still, several US opinion polls have pointed to shifting public attitudes toward Israel and Palestinians, particularly among younger Americans, since the war in Gaza began.
Netanyahu has been wanted by the International Criminal Court since 2024 over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed against Palestinians in Gaza. Since Oct. 8, 2023, Israel has killed more than 73,000 Palestinians and injured over 174,000 others in the war, destroying an estimated 90% of the enclave's civilian infrastructure, according to Palestinian officials.
Despite a ceasefire that took effect Oct. 10, 2025, Palestinian authorities say Israeli attacks have continued, killing 1,399 Palestinians and injuring 4,863 others since then. Israel also continues to restrict the entry of agreed quantities of food, medicine, medical supplies, shelter materials and prefabricated homes into Gaza, where roughly 2.4 million Palestinians live, including about 2.15 million people who have been displaced.
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