New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani sharply rebuked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday, calling him the «architect of horrific genocide against Palestinians» and rejecting Netanyahu's accusations that he supports Hamas and incites violence against Jewish New Yorkers. The exchange marks the latest escalation in a long-running public feud between the two leaders, coming just days before Netanyahu is expected to speak at the United Nations General Assembly in the city Mamdani leads.
Netanyahu had released a video earlier Tuesday in which he accused Mamdani of «supporting the Hamas terrorist monsters who butchered our people» and «inciting riots against New York Jews.» He pledged to «tell the truth» about Mamdani when he addresses the UN. «Shame on you, Mr. Mamdani,» Netanyahu said in the video posted to X. «I'm coming to the U.N. I am going to tell the truth about our heroic soldiers, and I'm going to tell you the truth about you.»
Responding to reporters, Mamdani dismissed the prime minister's claims as false. «We all know that what the prime minister has said in that video is not true,» Mamdani said. He pointed to the International Criminal Court's November 2024 arrest warrant for Netanyahu over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity, which Netanyahu and the Israeli government have rejected and challenged. Mamdani went further, asserting that Netanyahu is the «architect of horrific genocide against Palestinians» and citing the recent killing of an 11-year-old boy by Israeli military forces in what was deemed a safe zone in Gaza.
The confrontation is the latest chapter in an ongoing feud. Earlier this year, Mamdani explored whether New York City could execute the ICC warrant against Netanyahu — a campaign promise — before acknowledging the city could not enforce it on its own. He has previously called Netanyahu a «war criminal» and said the Israeli leader is «not welcome in New York City.» «I want to be equally clear: Benjamin Netanyahu is not welcome in New York City, nor is any other war criminal at large,» Mamdani said over the summer.
Mamdani has also defended New Yorkers' right to protest during Netanyahu's visit, though he has said he is not encouraging demonstrations. «One of the bedrocks of our city is protest,» he said in July. «It is something that has been a part of what makes our city so special, that New Yorkers can express themselves whether they are in support or in opposition no matter on whatever topic.» More recently, he clarified that he has no plans to participate in protests and has not encouraged New Yorkers to demonstrate. «To New Yorkers, I have never encouraged them to protest,» Mamdani said last week. «What I have always told them is that they have the right to do so in the city.»
The mayor's comments followed a Monday meeting with President Donald Trump. Asked whether he discussed Netanyahu with the president, Mamdani said their conversation focused on New York City and New Yorkers. His office said the two discussed issues affecting the city, including affordability and economic development. «And when it comes to the prime minister, though, I've made very clear where I stand on that,» Mamdani said.
The escalating rhetoric comes as Netanyahu prepares to visit New York for the UN General Assembly, where he is expected to deliver a speech. The public clash between the mayor of America's largest city and the Israeli prime minister underscores the deep divisions over the Gaza conflict and its reverberations in U.S. politics. It also highlights the unique position of New York City, home to the largest Jewish population outside Israel, where the debate over the war has been particularly intense.
Netanyahu's visit is likely to draw protests, and Mamdani's stance has made him a prominent voice in the national conversation over the conflict. The mayor has consistently framed his criticism of Netanyahu around international law and human rights, while Netanyahu has portrayed Mamdani's rhetoric as incitement. The two leaders' exchange is expected to continue as Netanyahu arrives in the city in the coming days.