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View all search resultsNetanyahu expected to berate Mamdani in UN address
Mamdani campaigned for office on a promise to have Netanyahu arrested for alleged war crimes should he visit the largest US city, though he later said he determined he lacked the legal authority to do so. This week, Mamdani described Netanyahu as "the architect of a horrific genocide against Palestinians."
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Unusual political figure: Democratic New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani (center) speaks during a campaign event with New York City elected officials on Saturday, November 01, in the Queens borough of New York City. With only days left in the race for New York City’s next mayor, Mamdani remains the front runner against Independent candidate, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa. (Getty Images/AFP/Stephanie Keith)
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enjamin Netanyahu is expected to use his UN address on Thursday to berate New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani for calling him a war criminal, a feud that highlights the Israeli leader's growing isolation ahead of elections at home that he may lose.
Mamdani campaigned for office on a promise to have Netanyahu arrested for alleged war crimes should he visit the largest US city, though he later said he determined he lacked the legal authority to do so. This week, Mamdani described Netanyahu as "the architect of a horrific genocide against Palestinians."
Netanyahu, who rejects war crimes allegations, will be making his first visit to New York since Mamdani took office in January. Israelis opposed to Netanyahu's right-wing government are planning to protest in New York.
Opinion polls suggest an Israeli general election five weeks away could end Netanyahu's long hold on power. The campaign is unfolding amid mounting criticism of Israel's Gaza war and without a planned meeting with US President Donald Trump.
"He's not really speaking to the UN, he's speaking to the Israeli public," said former Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren, who expects Netanyahu's address to resemble a "campaign speech."
"Maybe he's thinking, 'If I can attack Mamdani and attack the Iranians, somebody who was wavering between voting for me and voting for (Gadi) Eisenkot may decide to vote for me,'" Oren said, referring to former military chief Eisenkot, Netanyahu's leading rival.
The Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC) said in 2024 it had reasonable grounds to believe Netanyahu was responsible for alleged war crimes in his Gaza campaign that responded to Hamas' deadly October 7, 2023 attacks. Netanyahu denies the ICC claims.
One of Netanyahu's fiercest critics, Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, will not be in the room after Washington denied him a visa to attend.
Erstwhile allies of Israel Britain and France will likely be in Netanyahu's firing line Thursday.
Britain has imposed limited sanctions on Israeli exports from the occupied West Bank, a move France recently followed on.
French President Emmanuel Macron drew Israel's ire for claiming Hamas was not active in the West Bank. Hamas' stronghold has traditionally been Gaza.
Netanyahu's office attacked "the gross absurdity of the claim," adding Hamas attacks "Jews almost every day."
"They have murdered countless Israeli civilians in Judea and Samaria," it added, using the Biblical name for the West Bank, which Israel seized in 1967.
