September 25, 2026 NEW YORK, NY The floor of the United Nations General Assembly descended into high-voltage drama on Thursday as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu launched a fierce personal broadside against New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, branding Hizzoner "the antisemitic mayor of New York" before an international audience.
The fiery confrontation unfolded near the conclusion of a 40-minute address that began in a starkly depleted chamber, after scores of international diplomats staged a mass walkout the moment Netanyahu approached the podium.
Unfazed by the sea of empty seats, Netanyahu turned his sights from his global critics directly to the leader of the host city, accusing Mamdani of fostering fear among Jewish residents and attempting to suppress his voice on the world stage.
"To all those spreading these lies about my country and about our brave soldiers, whether they sit in this hall or in the office of the antisemitic mayor of New York, I say this: Shame on you!" Netanyahu declared. "Mr. Mamdani, since you were elected mayor of this city, many Jews no longer feel safe in New York... You tried to stop me from coming here. You tried to silence me. Well, you can’t silence me."
Mamdani Hits Back: "Baseless Lies to Sanitize Genocide"
The New York City Mayor delivered an immediate, stinging counterpunch, dismissing the Prime Minister's accusations as desperate distraction tactics.
"As he has done time and again, Prime Minister Netanyahu used his speech to repeat baseless lies meant to sanitize his genocide of Palestinians," Mamdani said in an official statement. "Yet no lie can change the fact that he remains the subject of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant alleging war crimes and crimes against humanity."
The bitter feud between the two leaders had reached a boiling point in the hours preceding the UN address. Just before Netanyahu took the stage, Mamdani shared footage hosting Palestinian families from Gaza at Gracie Mansion, where they planted an olive tree together in a symbolic gesture of solidarity.
The Warrant, the Feud, and the Arrest Threats
The deeply personal clash stems from Mamdani's long-standing criticism of the Israeli government and his past political pledges regarding the International Criminal Court (ICC). The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu in November 2024, citing alleged war crimes involving starvation as a method of warfare alongside crimes against humanity.
During his mayoral campaign, Mamdani raised eyebrows by exploring whether the NYPD could legally execute the ICC warrant if Netanyahu stepped foot in New York City. Following his election, Mamdani ordered a formal legal review, though city attorneys ultimately concluded in July that municipal authorities lacked the legal jurisdiction to enforce international warrants.
Despite the legal limitation, Mamdani has consistently maintained his stance, calling for federal authorities to honor global arrest mandates while simultaneously condemning Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack as a "horrific war crime."
