Netanyahu Criticizes NYC Mayor at UN Assembly, Defends Israeli Military Actions
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu used his address to the United Nations General Assembly on September 24, 2026, to rebuke New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who had threatened to arrest him during his visit to the city. Netanyahu's speech, delivered to a largely empty chamber after dozens of delegates walked out, highlighted deepening tensions over Israel's military actions and his contested international standing.
Mayor Mamdani, a 33-year-old Democratic Socialist who won the mayoral election in 2025 after campaigning on a promise to arrest Netanyahu, had called the Israeli leader a "genocide architect" in a CNN interview the day before the speech. Netanyahu responded on social media platform X, questioning how a "genocide regime" could provide one million polio vaccine doses to hostile countries and enable the distribution of two million tons of food. "Israel has stopped genocide," he wrote.
International Criminal Court Arrest Warrant
The backdrop to this confrontation includes an International Criminal Court arrest warrant issued in November 2024 for Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. The ICC alleges war crimes and crimes against humanity, including using starvation as a method of warfare and intentionally attacking civilians in Gaza. The warrants cover alleged crimes committed from at least October 8, 2023, through at least May 20, 2024.
While 125 ICC member states are legally obligated to arrest individuals subject to such warrants, neither the United States nor Israel are ICC members. President Trump stated on social media that Netanyahu would not be arrested in any way while in the United States, effectively overruling any local arrest attempts. Mamdani himself acknowledged in July 2026 that New York City lacks legal authority to execute the ICC warrant.
Contentious UN Address
During his UN address on the third day of the 81st General Assembly session, Netanyahu addressed departing delegates with pointed remarks. "Is it the brotherhood of democracy or the Muslim Brotherhood? If there is a moral coward who has not left the conference room, leave now."
His speech was punctuated by a mixture of cheers and boos as diplomats exited the hall.
Netanyahu defended Israeli military operations against Iran, stating it would have been "difficult to destroy Iran's nuclear facilities, but otherwise we would all be dead." The United States and Israel have been at war with Iran since late February 2026, with strikes targeting Iranian nuclear facilities and infrastructure. The day before Netanyahu's speech, President Trump told the UN he was weighing whether to "annihilate" Iran after nearly seven months of conflict.
The Israeli prime minister also thanked President Trump, calling him the greatest partner "in the fight against barbarians." Netanyahu asserted that Israel is protecting even the countries whose delegations left the assembly hall during his remarks.
Iranian Response and Casualties
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian had addressed the assembly the previous day, marking an unprecedented moment as he is believed to be the first world leader to speak at the UN General Assembly while his country is at war with the host nation. Pezeshkian stated that Iran is "victims of terrorism" and that "an innocent people have been targeted by attacks and aggression against their homeland."
The conflict in Gaza has resulted in between 70,000 and 75,000 Palestinian deaths since October 7, 2023, according to various 2026 estimates, with independent research published in medical journals verifying casualty figures that exceed official records. The United States has vetoed at least six UN Security Council resolutions on Gaza since October 2023, most of which demanded an immediate ceasefire.
Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving prime minister, faces crucial elections later in 2026, with polls showing declining support for him and his Likud party among Israeli voters. His UN appearance comes at a time when his international legal status and domestic political standing are both under significant pressure.
