Sharp War of Words Between Benjamin Netanyahu and Zohran Mamdani
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani exchanged mutual accusations ahead of the United Nations General Assembly.
A sharp war of words erupted between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani ahead of the UN General Assembly. Mamdani described Netanyahu as the architect of genocide, while Netanyahu accused the New York mayor of supporting Hamas.
Striking Remarks in CNN Interview
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, in remarks to CNN on Monday, characterized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a war criminal and the architect of a horrific genocide against the Palestinian people.
Netanyahu's Harsh Video Response
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu responded to Mamdani's statements with a video message. Netanyahu, who is scheduled to address the UN General Assembly on Thursday, stated that he would tell the truth about the heroic soldiers and Mamdani to the New York mayor.
In his statement, Netanyahu told Mamdani that he should be ashamed, accusing him of supporting Hamas terrorist monsters who slaughter people and inciting against Jews in New York.
Past Disputes and Accusations
Mamdani had previously stated that he would arrest Netanyahu if he entered New York, though he also acknowledged that he did not possess such authority. While some Republican opponents accused Mamdani of antisemitism, Mamdani rejected this characterization, arguing that his criticisms of Israeli policies were being conflated with hatred of Jews.
Netanyahu had previously accused Mamdani of sowing seeds of hatred in a Fox News interview in July.
International Criminal Court Proceedings
This verbal sparring coincides with a period when the Hague-based International Criminal Court has brought a case against Netanyahu over war crimes. The court has accused Netanyahu, the former defense minister, and a deceased Hamas leader of crimes against humanity.
US and Trump Approach to the Court
Since the US has never ratified the Rome Statute, it is not a member of the International Criminal Court and is not bound by its decisions. President Donald Trump also dismissed the court's case against Netanyahu, calling on member nations to immediately resign from the ICC during his speech at the UN General Assembly.