Netanyahu Hits Back At Mamdani, Says ‘Shame On You’ Over Gaza

<p class="isSelectedEnd">Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani have traded sharp accusations over the Israel-Hamas war and the situation in Gaza, days before Netanyahu is due to address the United Nations General Assembly in New York.</p>
<p class="isSelectedEnd">Netanyahu lashed out at Mamdani in a social media video on Tuesday, criticising the progressive mayor over his stance on Palestine.</p>
<p class="isSelectedEnd">&ldquo;Shame on you, Mr. Mamdani,&rdquo; Netanyahu said. &ldquo;Shame on you for supporting the Hamas terrorist monsters who butchered our people. Shame on you for inciting riots against New York Jews. I’m coming to the UN. I’m going to tell the truth about our heroic soldiers, and I’ve got to tell the truth about you.&rdquo;</p>
<p class="isSelectedEnd">Netanyahu is slated to arrive in New York on Thursday for the United Nations General Assembly, where he will address the gathering. Reuters reported that Netanyahu said he would use his UN appearance to defend Israel&rsquo;s military actions and respond to criticism from Mamdani.</p>
<h2><strong>Mamdani Hits Back At Netanyahu</strong></h2>
<p class="isSelectedEnd">Responding to Netanyahu’s remarks at a press conference on Tuesday, Mamdani said: &ldquo;We all know that what the prime minister has said in that video is not true.&rdquo;</p>
<p class="isSelectedEnd">&ldquo;What we do know to actually be the truth when it comes to the prime minister is that he is the subject of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. And as the prime minister, he is the architect of a horrific genocide against Palestinians. And just a few days ago, killed an 11-year-old boy in what is deemed to be a safe zone in Gaza.&rdquo;</p>
<p class="isSelectedEnd">The ICC warrant referenced by Mamdani concerns allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity; the allegations remain contested.</p>
<h2><strong>Mamdani’s Earlier Comments On Netanyahu</strong></h2>
<p class="isSelectedEnd">Netanyahu’s video came after Mamdani, a strong supporter of Palestinian statehood, called the prime minister &ldquo;an architect of genocide&rdquo; in an interview with CNN on Monday.</p>
<p class="isSelectedEnd">&ldquo;If the International Criminal Court deems someone worthy of an arrest because of a violation of those laws, then who are we to say that anyone should be above that?&rdquo; Mamdani told CNN.</p>
<p class="isSelectedEnd">During his campaign for mayor, Mamdani vowed to honour the ICC’s warrant if the prime minister ever came to the city. The mayor later conceded that he did not have the power to do so. Reuters has also reported that Mamdani previously said he would arrest Netanyahu but later acknowledged that he lacked the authority to do so.</p>
<h2><strong>Criticism Over Mamdani’s Comments</strong></h2>
<p class="isSelectedEnd">Some Israeli officials and representatives of Jewish advocacy groups have criticised Mamdani’s past comments, saying they contribute to a rise in antisemitic violence.</p>
<p class="isSelectedEnd">Mamdani has defended his criticism of Israel and has said that criticism of Israel is wrongly conflated with antisemitism, according to Reuters.</p>
<p>The exchange comes as Netanyahu prepares for his UN appearance in New York, where his remarks on Israel’s military actions and the Gaza war are expected to draw further international scrutiny.</p>