Ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech at the United Nations General Assembly on Sept. 24, New York City is preparing for significant public demonstrations. On Wednesday, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced that he will not be joining any of the expected protests surrounding the visit.
Mamdani, New York's first Muslim mayor, previously faced pushback from local Jewish and Israeli organizations after comments he made in July regarding potential demonstrations. At the time, when questioned about upcoming anti-Netanyahu rallies, he stated: “If anyone feels a level of frustration or opposition, protest is something that we will always respect. I leave it to New Yorkers themselves to make that decision."
Clarifying his intentions on Wednesday, Mamdani stated: “I do not have any plans to attend any protest at the UN General Assembly."
He further noted: “To New Yorkers, I have never encouraged them to protest. What I have always told them is that they have the right to do so in the city."
Mamdani has consistently denounced Israel’s actions in Gaza, labeling the military effort a genocide and calling for an end to American financial and military assistance to the country. He has repeatedly asserted that Israel is committing war crimes during its operations against Hamas.
His political positions have frequently generated controversy. During his run for mayor, Mamdani chose not to disavow the phrase “globalize the intifada," and his statements on Oct. 8, 2023 - one day after the Hamas attack on southern Israel - drew widespread criticism.
Upon taking office, he immediately revoked several Israel-related executive orders enacted by former Mayor Eric Adams. Subsequently, he became the first NYC mayor to boycott the city's annual Israel Day Parade.
Although Mamdani regularly participated in anti-Israel rallies prior to taking office - including leading chants at a July 2023 Manhattan event - he has not joined any such demonstrations as mayor.
Before his election, Mamdani vowed to enforce the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) arrest warrant against Netanyahu for alleged crimes against humanity if the prime minister entered New York.
In a July interview with The New York Times, he mentioned exploring avenues to detain Netanyahu. However, he later released a video admitting that a city mayor lacks the legal authority to execute an ICC warrant, instead urging federal authorities to intervene.
Because the United States is not a member of the ICC and does not recognize its jurisdiction, President Donald Trump addressed the matter on Truth Social, stating that Netanyahu “will not be arrested, in any way, shape or form, while in the United States of America."
In an effort to connect with local communities ahead of Rosh Hashanah two weeks ago, Mamdani toured a Judaica shop in the Borough Park neighborhood of Brooklyn, speaking with neighborhood representatives and residents. While video recorded during the visit captured pleasant exchanges, it also showed a tense interaction with a local resident.
The woman confronted the mayor directly, stating: "It's all because of you we have so much antisemitism...You have such chutzpah for coming here."