Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced he will attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York, even though New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani repeatedly called for his arrest. Netanyahu affirmed, “I’m going to New York,” during an interview with Sean Hannity following his meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House.
Netanyahu plans to address what he describes as hostility from Mamdani, who he feels is creating division among New Yorkers, particularly against Jewish residents. He stated, “I’m going to speak the truth in front of this hate-spewing elected official who’s pitting one group of New Yorkers against the others.”
Mamdani has criticized Netanyahu for alleged wrongs in military actions in Gaza and Lebanon. He labeled Netanyahu a “war criminal” and accused him of leading a “horrific genocide against the Palestinian people” with thousands of Gazans killed in conflict.
Despite recognizing the city’s lack of authority to detain Netanyahu under the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) warrant, Mamdani urged federal action. Netanyahu countered by accusing Mamdani of inciting hatred and attempting to alienate New York’s Jewish community, likening it to attitudes from the 1930s.
Amid these tensions, former New York Mayor Bill de Blasio sided with Mamdani’s arrest call, and President Trump criticized Israel’s actions in the region, suggesting the conflicts were causing excessive casualties.
Netanyahu described the ICC as an unjust institution and questioned its focus on him while ignoring groups like Hezbollah. He expressed concern that the ICC might also target U.S. figures as war criminals.
He shared details of his recent conversation with Trump, describing it as exceptionally positive, underscoring the strength of the U.S.-Israeli alliance. Netanyahu emphasized the mutual objective of preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons as vital for global peace and security.
Netanyahu is slated to feature in the upcoming episode of “Hang Out with Sean Hannity,” accessible on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple.