Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directly criticized New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani during his United Nations General Assembly address on Thursday. Netanyahu used the speech to defend Israel’s conduct in the Gaza war and respond to Mamdani’s criticism of his government and the International Criminal Court arrest warrant against him.
The Israeli leader says he plans to address the New York mayor during his General Assembly speech
The dispute between Mamdani and Netanyahu has escalated over Israel’s war in Gaza. During his mayoral campaign, Mamdani pledged to pursue Netanyahu’s arrest if he came to New York, but he later said the city lacked the legal authority to enforce the International Criminal Court warrant. He has also described Netanyahu as the “architect of a horrific genocide against the Palestinian,” a characterization Netanyahu and Israeli officials reject.
According to HuffPost, Michael Oren, a former Israeli ambassador, said Netanyahu could use his U.N. appearance to speak beyond the international audience and appeal to Israelis watching at home. Oren specifically pointed to Netanyahu’s expected criticism of Mamdani and Iran as part of the political backdrop ahead of Israel’s October 27 election.
Netanyahu’s New York schedule is packed with diplomacy, but Donald Trump is notably absent. His office announced planned talks with the presidents of Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, Panama and Ethiopia, as well as Colombia’s vice president and the prime ministers of Greece, Slovenia and Papua New Guinea. Potential discussions with senior U.S. officials were also explored, but nothing was locked in.
That gap has a political angle, according to Nimrod Goren, president of the Mitvim think tank. With Israel’s election only weeks away, Goren said the lack of a Trump meeting could become a problem for Netanyahu’s campaign. The two leaders have also found themselves on different pages over a temporary U.S.-Iran ceasefire, which Netanyahu resisted.
Netanyahu also remains subject to an International Criminal Court arrest warrant issued in November 2024. Mamdani has repeatedly said the warrant should be honored, while acknowledging that he does not have the authority to enforce it himself.
