International

Israel's UN Envoy Attacks Mamdani: Failed to Manage New York

After New York Mayor Zahran Mamdani announced that his administration is exploring the possibility of arresting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he visits the city

Khaled Yousef

18 July 2026•Updated: 18 July 2026

İSRAIL

Khaled Yousef / Anadolu

Israel's Permanent Representative to the UN Danny Danon on Saturday attacked New York Mayor Zahran Mamdani after the latter announced he was studying the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he visits the American city.

Danon claimed in a tweet on the American company X platform that 'Mamdani failed to manage New York.'

Danon alleged that Mamdani 'chooses incitement,' saying: 'Instead of focusing on his role as mayor and fighting the rising wave of anti-Semitism in his city, Mamdani chooses incitement and headline-grabbing through attacks on the State of Israel.'

He considered that 'the attack on Netanyahu will not change anything,' claiming that the Israeli prime minister will arrive in New York to deliver his speech at the UN General Assembly in September.

The Israeli envoy alleged that 'Netanyahu will deliver his speech with pride, and will stand before the world to declare in a clear voice the truth about Israel and its non-negotiable right to defend its citizens.'

He attacked Mamdani, claiming that 'if there is anyone who should be stopped, it is New York Mayor Zahran Mamdani.'

Netanyahu is scheduled to participate in the UN General Assembly meetings in September, while Mamdani stated that the New York City administration is studying whether there is a legal possibility to arrest Netanyahu if he arrives in the city, against the backdrop of the arrest warrant issued against him by the International Criminal Court.

The New York Times reported Mamdani as saying that 'the matter is under active discussions with the New York City legal department.'

In an interview with Lola García Navarro on The Interview program of the New York Times, Mamdani said: 'I think Netanyahu's place is in The Hague,' referring to the seat of the International Criminal Court in the Dutch city.

He added: 'He is a war criminal whom the International Criminal Court has acted against.'

Mamdani noted that this position is adopted by many due to the results of his actions over the past years.

This represents a transition from an electoral pledge Mamdani made during his mayoral campaign in 2025 to legal consultations on the limits of his administration's powers and the possibility of executing the warrant.

Mamdani had previously announced during his 2025 election campaign his intention to order the New York police to arrest Netanyahu if he visited the city, based on the ICC warrant.

On 21 November 2024, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu, citing reasonable grounds to believe he is responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

No conviction has been issued against Netanyahu, as he is still wanted under the arrest warrant, while Israel rejects the court's jurisdiction and the charges against him.

However, the possibility of executing the warrant in New York faces legal obstacles, given that the United States is not a party to the Rome Statute that established the International Criminal Court.

Netanyahu has previously said he is not worried about Mamdani's pledge to arrest him and that he will visit New York despite the mayor's stance, and he also accused him of supporting the Hamas movement.

In response, Mamdani has repeatedly affirmed his rejection of anti-Semitism and pledged to protect the Jewish community in New York, distinguishing between his criticism of the Israeli government's policies and his stance on Jews.

Since the start of the Israeli genocide war on the Gaza Strip on 8 October 2023, Israel has killed 73,269 Palestinians and wounded 173,811 others, according to the latest figures announced by the Gaza Health Ministry on Saturday.

The war has also left widespread destruction, affecting nearly 90 percent of civilian infrastructure in Gaza.

Mamdani won the New York mayoral election in November 2025 and took office in early January 2026.

Thus, he became the first Muslim and first South Asian-American to serve as New York mayor, a city that hosts one of the largest Jewish communities outside Israel.