Netanyahu, Mamdani Clash Head-On: "I Will Tell the Truth at the United Nations"

【Financial News, New York = Correspondent Lee Byung-chul】 Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's prime minister, clashed head-on with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani ahead of his address to the UN General Assembly. After Mamdani criticized Netanyahu as a "war criminal," Netanyahu warned that he would directly rebut Mamdani at the UN, accusing him of supporting Hamas. The conflict over the Gaza war has spilled over into a verbal battle between Israel's prime minister and New York City's mayor in the city where world leaders have gathered.
In a video statement on the 22nd local time, Benjamin Netanyahu said, "I am going to the UN. I will tell the truth about our heroic soldiers, and I will also tell the truth about you, Mamdani." He is scheduled to defend Israel's military operations directly in his address to the UN General Assembly on the 24th.
The confrontation began with an interview Mamdani gave to CNN. Mamdani criticized Netanyahu as "a war criminal and the architect of a horrific genocide against the Palestinian people." He had previously said he would arrest Netanyahu in New York based on an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC), but acknowledged in July that the mayor of New York lacked the legal authority to enforce it. The United States is not a member of the ICC, and international law experts also explained that New York City has no authority to enforce the warrant independently.
Netanyahu told Mamdani, "You should be ashamed of yourself. You support the Hamas terrorists who massacred our people and incited riots targeting New York's Jews." Mamdani, for his part, has publicly condemned antisemitism and maintains that it is wrong to equate his criticism of the Israeli government with antisemitism.
The backdrop to the confrontation is the prolonged Gaza war. According to Israeli authorities, approximately 1,200 people were killed and 251 were abducted in Hamas's surprise attack on October 7, 2023. Israel then launched large-scale airstrikes and a ground offensive aimed at eliminating Hamas's military and governing capabilities. Gaza health authorities say that more than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed to date. The figure does not distinguish between combatants and civilians. Israel denies allegations of genocide and says its military operation is directed at Hamas.
Netanyahu's camp says it intends to use the UN General Assembly as a platform to directly respond to international criticism of Israel. Doron Spielman, a spokesperson for Netanyahu, emphasized that the UN General Assembly is "one of the most important platforms for Israel's prime minister to tell the world the truth."


[email protected] Correspondent Lee Byung-chul Reporter