Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani of creating a climate of ‘hate and fear’ among Jewish Americans. This follows Mamdani’s labeling of Netanyahu as a ‘war criminal’ and his threat to arrest him.

A New York State assemblyman has urged the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate Mamdani following two stabbings in Manhattan’s Upper West Side, considered potential hate crimes. Assemblyman Michael Novakhov, representing District 45 in Brooklyn, made the call during an End Jew Hatred rally in New York City.

“If the DOJ stepped in to protect Jewish students at Columbia, it must now step in to protect Jewish New Yorkers,” Novakhov stated on Instagram, referencing a federal probe into alleged antisemitism at the university.

Pro-Israeli protesters gathered on July 26, 2026, in opposition to Mamdani’s statements. Novakhov plans to send a formal letter to the DOJ requesting an investigation into New York City, New York State, and Mayor Mamdani’s actions toward the Jewish community.

Fox News Digital attempted to contact Mamdani for a comment but received no immediate response. The stabbings’ victims were identified as Chok Sung, 57, and Moshe Grunhaus, 50. New York Attorney General Letitia James confirmed their stable condition. The suspect, Raul Morales, 51, allegedly shouted “Allahu Akbar” during the assault.

The Upper West Side, home to a large Jewish population, was observing Tisha B’Av, a Jewish day of mourning, at the time of the attacks. Mamdani’s remarks about Netanyahu have concerned Jewish leaders, as he has called for Netanyahu’s accountability under the International Criminal Court, despite its lack of jurisdiction in the United States.

Jewish leaders emphasize that Jewish New Yorkers should feel safe and not fear expressing their identity. Novakhov insisted, “The Jewish community deserves answers. No one is above the law.”