Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu sharply attacked New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani on Sunday, accusing him of fueling antisemitism and division by branding the Israeli leader a war criminal and demanding his arrest if he visits New York. Netanyahu dismissed the campaign against him as hateful and made clear he will travel to the city in September to address the United Nations General Assembly.

Speaking in an interview on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures” with Maria Bartiromo, Netanyahu condemned Mamdani’s rhetoric, saying the Democratic politician is undermining the unity expected of a city leader.

“He’s supposed to be the mayor of all New Yorkers — Jews, Christians, Muslims, everyone,” Netanyahu said. “But he’s trying to turn one group against the other.”

Netanyahu said he has every intention of appearing before the annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations this September, brushing aside Mamdani’s assertion that he is unwelcome in New York. Although Mamdani acknowledged last week that New York City lacks the legal authority to enforce an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court, he urged the federal government to take action instead.

The Israeli prime minister has become a lightning rod for criticism over Israel’s military campaign against Hamas in Gaza, which began after the terrorist organization’s October 7, 2023 massacre in southern Israel. Israel also joined the United States in launching military operations against Iran on February 28 and later expanded its campaign with a ground offensive in southern Lebanon targeting the Iranian-backed Hezbollah terrorist group.

Netanyahu rejected the International Criminal Court’s allegations against him, calling the charges politically motivated and entirely without merit. He referred to misconduct allegations involving the court’s former chief prosecutor, who was removed from office Friday, and argued that the prosecution was intended to distract from those controversies. He described the ICC case as “bogus.”

City Hall did not immediately issue a response to Netanyahu’s remarks.

The Prime Minister also voiced concern that Israel’s longstanding bipartisan support in the United States is beginning to erode, particularly as progressive and far-left Democrats aligned with Mamdani’s wing of the party gain influence.

He further warned that antisemitism is becoming increasingly visible in the United States and across other Western nations, saying Jewish residents of New York are growing uneasy.

“Jews feel very uncomfortable. And I think it’s wrong. The whole thing is wrong,” he said.

Throughout his mayoral campaign, Mamdani repeatedly pledged to direct the New York City Police Department to enforce the ICC arrest warrant against Netanyahu over Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza.

Last week, however, Mamdani acknowledged that the city has no legal authority to carry out such an arrest and instead urged federal officials to intervene.

“I want to be equally clear, Benjamin Netanyahu is not welcome in New York City, nor is any other war criminal at large,” he said in a video message.

Mamdani also said he understood the anger expressed by many New Yorkers over the conflict, adding that peaceful demonstrations are something the city would “always respect.”

The Hague-based International Criminal Court has accused Netanyahu, former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and the late Hamas leader of crimes against humanity. According to the Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza, more than 73,000 people have been killed during Israel’s military campaign, while approximately 1,200 people—most of them civilians—were murdered in Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel.

President Donald Trump has publicly assured Netanyahu that he will not face arrest while visiting the United States.

In a social media post Monday, Trump declared that Netanyahu “will not be arrested, in any way, shape, or form, while in the United States of America.”

Netanyahu is expected to travel to Washington this week for meetings with President Trump and to attend funeral services for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, whom the Israeli leader praised as an “extraordinary American patriot.”