New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani had said that Netanyahu would not be welcome in New York City. Likewise, there were calls for him to be arrested under the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant.
In this situation, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that he will ignore those and travel to New York City to address the United Nations General Assembly.
In an interview with a private television channel yesterday (July 26), Netanyahu said, “I will come to New York to fight for the truths of the Jewish people. I am coming to speak the truth loudly from the UN podium and to speak in support of the Israel-U.S. alliance.”
Speaking about Mamdani, he said, “Mamdani and his family celebrated the October 7 attack, the worst massacre carried out against Jews since the Holocaust.
Even if he says he did not, in essence Mamdani supports the Hamas killers who sexually assaulted Israeli women, beheaded them, burned children alive, killed our men, and held 251 men, women, children, and infants captive.”
Netanyahu, who accused Hamas of making genocide allegations against Israel, pointed to the difference between the intentions of the Israeli military and those of terrorists.
Moreover, "Hamas are the ones responsible for genocide. As stated in their policy document, they would have killed every Jew in the world, including those in Israel. They have publicly declared that. Therefore, the accusation of genocide applies to our enemies alone. What we are doing is fighting these terrorists who hide among civilians and prevent civilians from evacuating dangerous areas. The real criminals are them.
“Mamdani is stoking hatred against Jews. He should be the mayor for all the people of New York City—Jews, Christians, Muslims, everyone. But he is sowing hatred by turning one group against another. His rhetoric is creating a dangerous environment for the Jewish people in New York. I will speak to them,” he said.
Mamdani had been considering arresting Netanyahu, an international war criminal, in New York City. However, Mamdani later admitted that the New York City Police Department does not have direct authority to arrest an international leader. Following this, he stated that Netanyahu was not welcome to visit New York City.
