Netanyahu accuses New York mayor Mamdani of supporting Hamas ahead of UN address

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted a video on his Instagram account, targeting New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on 22 September, two days before his scheduled address to the United Nations General Assembly, accusing the mayor of supporting Hamas and inciting violence against Jewish New Yorkers.

In the video, Netanyahu said he was travelling to the UN to defend Israel’s soldiers and “tell the truth” about Mamdani.

“Shame on you, Mr Mamdani. Shame on you for supporting the Hamas terrorist monsters who butchered our people,” Netanyahu said.

“Shame on you for inciting riots against New York Jews. I'm coming to the UN. I'm going to tell the truth about our heroic soldiers. And I'm going to tell the truth about you.”

The video had received about 2.7 million views since it was posted, according to the post's view count.

Netanyahu is scheduled to address the General Assembly on Thursday (24 September).

The video came after Mamdani renewed his criticism of Netanyahu and referred to the International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant against the Israeli prime minister.

Mamdani has previously said he would seek Netanyahu’s arrest if he came to New York, but later acknowledged that he did not have the authority to order such an arrest.

US and Israeli media reported that his visit had been shortened to a brief trip, with the Israeli prime minister expected to arrive on Thursday morning, deliver his address and leave afterwards.

Mamdani rejects Netanyahu's allegations

While campaigning for mayor in July, Mamdani said he would seek to have the New York Police Department arrest Netanyahu if he travelled to New York, citing the ICC's arrest warrant against the Israeli prime minister.

Mamdani later acknowledged that he did not have the legal authority to carry out such an arrest.

In July, he said his administration would “follow all applicable local laws” while maintaining that protest was a fundamental part of New York's political culture.

“I think one of the bedrocks of our city is protest,” Mamdani said at the time.

“This is a city where if anyone feels a level of frustration or opposition, protest is something that we will always respect. I leave it to New Yorkers themselves to make that decision.”

Mamdani was asked about Netanyahu's latest remarks on Tuesday and rejected the accusation that he had encouraged riots against Jewish people.

“Well, we all know that what the prime minister has said in that video is not true,” Mamdani said.

He instead pointed to the ICC's arrest warrant against Netanyahu, describing the Israeli prime minister as a “war criminal” and alleging that he was responsible for the destruction in Gaza.

The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu on 21 November 2024.

The court said there were reasonable grounds to believe he was responsible for alleged war crimes including starvation as a method of warfare and intentionally directing attacks against civilians, as well as alleged crimes against humanity including murder, persecution and other inhumane acts.

The warrant concerns alleged conduct between 8 October 2023 and 20 May 2024. Netanyahu and the Israeli government have rejected the allegations and challenged the ICC's jurisdiction.

Mamdani also referred to the recent death of an 11-year-old boy in Gaza, saying it further supported his criticism of the Israeli government's military campaign.

Trump criticises ICC at UN

The dispute unfolded on the same day that US President Donald Trump criticised the ICC during his address to the UN General Assembly.

Trump described the court as an “out-of-control institution” and called on all countries that are members of the ICC to withdraw from it.

He also said the United States would not allow its service members or others to be subjected to what he described as “show trials” by what he called an anti-American tribunal.

The United States is not a member of the ICC and has not ratified the Rome Statute establishing the court.