Netanyahu says he will still visit New York City for the UN General Assembly after Zohran Mamdani backed away from a pledge to arrest him.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the New York City visit remains on his calendar for the UN General Assembly this autumn, even after Mayor Zohran Mamdani backed away from a vow to have him arrested. Netanyahu said on Sunday that he was not worried about the threat and accused Mamdani of stirring up hostility.
The Israeli leader made the remarks during an interview with Fox News, saying Mamdani was “fomenting hate” and should represent all New Yorkers, including Jews, Christians and Muslims. He said Jewish Americans were frightened. Netanyahu also pointed to a pair of stabbings in New York on Thursday, when a suspect allegedly attacked a Jewish man and an Asian man just blocks apart. Police say the suspect shouted “Allahu akbar” during the assaults and has been charged with hate crimes tied to each victim.
Both men survived, and the attacks drew condemnation from Jewish and Asian American leaders in the city. Netanyahu linked those fears to Mamdani’s earlier comments, arguing that the rhetoric was deepening division at a moment when some Jewish residents already feel under pressure. The mayor’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The dispute grew out of Mamdani’s campaign and his long-running opposition to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. Last year, he made that issue a central part of his run for mayor. In an address last week, he called Netanyahu a “war criminal” and said he would enforce a 2024 arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court, which accused the Israeli prime minister of war crimes in Gaza.
“Netanyahu says he will still visit New York City for the UN General Assembly after Zohran Mamdani backed away from a pledge to arrest him.”
Netanyahu rejected those accusations as false. Israel has denied committing war crimes in Gaza, and the prime minister called the charges “bogus.” Mamdani later said his administration reviewed the law and concluded that the city did not have the independent legal power to carry out the warrant. He urged the federal government to arrest Netanyahu instead and said the prime minister was not welcome in New York City.
For now, Netanyahu’s travel plans do not include the city. He is set to fly to the United States on Monday for a different trip, meet President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday, and attend a funeral service for the late Senator Lindsey Graham. But the New York City visit looms over the wider clash, since it mixes international war-crimes allegations with local political theater and rising concern among residents who feel caught in the middle.
The backdrop is the war that began after the Hamas-led attack in Israel on 7 October 2023, when about 1,200 people were killed and 251 were taken hostage. Since then, more than 73,000 people have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza, including more than 21,000 children, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry, whose figures are considered reliable by the UN. What happens next will test how New York handles a high-profile visit tied to a bitter global conflict, and whether city politics can stay within the law when emotions are running high. For American readers, the takeaway is simple: this fight is about whether the country’s biggest city can keep order and restraint while global tensions play out on its streets.
Frequently asked questions
Is Netanyahu still planning to visit New York City?
Yes. Netanyahu said the New York City visit remains on his calendar for the UN General Assembly this autumn.
Did Mamdani say New York City could actually arrest Netanyahu?
No. Mamdani later said his administration reviewed the law and concluded the city did not have the independent legal power to carry out the warrant.
Why did Netanyahu criticize Mamdani?
Netanyahu said Mamdani was fomenting hate and stirring hostility. He argued Mamdani should represent all New Yorkers and linked his rhetoric to fear among Jewish residents.
What events did Netanyahu point to as evidence of rising fear in New York?
He cited the Thursday stabbings of a Jewish man and an Asian man in New York, noting police said the suspect shouted “Allahu akbar” and was charged with hate crimes.
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