Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced his intention to speak at the United Nations in New York City, disregarding an International Criminal Court arrest warrant issued against him and commentary from New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani stating he would not be welcome in the city. Netanyahu made the statement during an appearance on a Fox News program, where he also criticized Mamdani and made various unsubstantiated allegations regarding the mayor’s positions and statements.
Mamdani has been a vocal critic of Israeli policies and has expressed support for Palestinian rights, positions increasingly shared by segments of the American public. Netanyahu characterized Mamdani’s stance as divisive and claimed the mayor was fomenting hatred rather than representing all New Yorkers. However, polling data from a survey conducted earlier in the year by the Associated Press-NORC Centre for Public Affairs Research presented a more nuanced picture of public sentiment among Jewish Americans, with roughly equal proportions viewing Mamdani favorably and unfavorably.
The polling data also revealed that Netanyahu’s approval ratings among Jewish Americans were substantially lower than those of the mayor, with only about one-third viewing him favorably compared to roughly six in ten holding unfavorable views. Support for Israel among American voters more broadly has shifted significantly in recent years, with a substantial proportion of the population expressing concern about Israeli military actions in Gaza. Recent polling also indicated that a plurality of Americans believe Netanyahu should face arrest, while the ICC had previously issued arrest warrants against him and a former Israeli Defense Minister on allegations of crimes against humanity and war crimes.
During his remarks, Netanyahu also made claims about Mamdani celebrating a Hamas attack in October 2023, accusations that have been denied. Mamdani has consistently characterized the Hamas attacks as a war crime while maintaining his criticism of Israeli military operations. Netanyahu further suggested that potential Iranian military action would constitute a grave error, reflecting ongoing regional tensions involving Israel and Iran.
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