Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon lashed out at Mayor Zohran Mamdani during a press conference Thursday — calling for his arrest ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s planned visit to New York City next week.
“[He made] this ridiculous claim that he can or he should arrest the Prime Minister,” Danon said, according to C-SPAN footage.
“If someone should be arrested, it’s Mayor Mamdani for inciting, for actually collaborating with the enemy of the United States,” he said.
“He sends these officials to meet with the Iranian ambassador here at the UN,” he said of the Mamdani’s international affairs commissioner attempting to set up a meeting with the Iranian ambassador in July.
“I hope that he realizes he has a responsibility, not to call for people to demonstrate but to take care of the city and to make sure that next week will be a quiet, functioning week for the thousands of people that will come from all around the world.”
The 55-year-old ambassador accused Mamdani of sewing antisemitic chaos after he was asked by a reporter about Netanyahu’s plan to visit the Big Apple for a UN General Assembly meeting next Wednesday.
“Prime Minister Netanyahu will proudly address the General Assembly. He will do so despite threats, incitement and antisemitic rhetoric we have heard from the mayor of the city of New York,” he said, according to footage posted by Jewish Insider.
“The mayor is supposed to make sure we have a quiet week with less traffic and issues — but he’s doing the exact opposite. He’s inciting, calling for people to demonstrate against our prime minister but none of that will stop us,” Danon said.
Dannon’s remarks came after Mamdani said in July he’s seeking a legal loophole to arrest Netanyahu during his September visit for alleged war crimes.
The pro-Palestine socialist pol, who is staunchly critical of Israel, made prominent campaign pledges calling for Netanyahu’s arrest during his mayoral run in late 2025, and has doubled down repeatedly in recent months, including on social media.
On Thursday, Mamdani was asked during a security briefing if any NYPD officials have requested that he “cool down” his “rhetoric when it comes to Israel or Netanyahu” ahead of planned anti-Israel protests next week.
“The conversations that I’ve had with the police department have been purely on standard preparations for this event, as well as standard preparations for keeping New Yorkers safe,” he replied. “And I’m fully confident in our police department’s ability to do so, and I’m fully confident in their ability to do so each and every day, even outside of the General Assembly.”
Hizzoner added that he’s in the process of setting up meetings with foreign dignitaries while they’re here for the General Assembly, but declined to get specific.
“I will have a few meetings that we’re in the process of setting up at this time, that we’ll share more details about soon,” Mamdani said, while also remaining mum about if he’d meet with President Donald Trump next week.
“When it comes to the president, we continue to have a conversation about how best to deliver for this city, and that is a conversation that has been done in person, has been done over the phone, and it will continue so long as either of us have the ability to deliver for the city,” he said of Trump, who is expected to attend the UN assembly.
During Danon’s press conference, he also spoke about the country’s ongoing war with Hamas and how Israel has faced security threats from Syria, along with Hezbollah and ISIS.
Danon himself has been critical of the prime minister, earning the description of being a “right-wing thorn in Netanyahu’s side,” according to the UK Guardian.
Additional reporting by Amanda Woods
