Netanyahu accuses Mamdani of fomenting hate by calling for his arrest

Key Points:

• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani for calling him a war criminal and suggesting he should be arrested if he visits the city for the U.N. General Assembly, accusing Mamdani of fomenting hate and division among New Yorkers.
• Netanyahu plans to attend the U.N. gathering in New York in September despite the mayor's stance and dismissed the International Criminal Court’s war crimes charges against him as "bogus," citing allegations against the ICC’s top prosecutor.
• Mamdani, while acknowledging that New York City lacks legal authority to arrest Netanyahu, urged federal authorities to act and declared Netanyahu unwelcome in the city, emphasizing respect for protest expressions.
• Netanyahu expressed concern about the erosion of bipartisan U.S. support for Israel, particularly due to progressive Democrats aligned with Mamdani, and warned about rising antisemitism in New York and other Western countries.
• Former President Donald Trump assured Netanyahu via social media that he would not be arrested while in the U.S.; Netanyahu is also expected to meet Trump and attend the funeral of late Senator Lindsey Graham in Washington this week.