Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani of antisemitism and promoting Hamas supporters at the UN, saying Jews no longer felt safe in New York. Mamdani called the claims “baseless lies” and accused Netanyahu of genocide in Gaza.
In July, Mamdani called on the U.S. government to arrest Netanyahu during his New York visit, calling him a “war criminal” and accusing him of overseeing “a horrific genocide” against Palestinians. The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu in 2024, alleging responsibility for war crimes against Gaza’s civilian population.
Netanyahu denied that Israel had committed genocide in Gaza. International and Israeli human rights organizations have accused Israel of genocide; a U.N. commission reported in June that Israeli security forces’ killing of Palestinian children in Gaza amounted to genocide. Dozens of diplomats walked out as Netanyahu began speaking, while hundreds rallied outside the UN. New York City police reportedly arrested dozens, including actors Hannah Einbinder and Susan Sarandon.
