By Peace Udugba — The Daily Torch Media
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has sharply confronted New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani over his criticism of Israel, telling the mayor during his address to the United Nations General Assembly that he could not silence him or what Netanyahu described as the truth.
Netanyahu made the remarks on Thursday, September 24, 2026, during his address to the 81st session of the U.N. General Assembly in New York.
Addressing Mamdani directly, Netanyahu said the mayor had attempted to prevent him from visiting New York and had sought to silence his voice.
“You tried to stop me from coming here. You tried to silence me. Well, you can’t silence me. You can’t silence the truth,” Netanyahu said.
The Israeli prime minister also accused Mamdani of repeatedly alleging that Israel committed genocide in Gaza, strongly rejecting the allegation.
“Here’s the simple truth: Israel didn’t commit genocide. Israel prevented genocide,” Netanyahu said.
Netanyahu further accused Mamdani of spreading what he described as false claims about Israel and said criticism of Israel had contributed to an environment in which Jewish residents of New York felt threatened.
“Mr. Mamdani, since you were elected mayor of this city, many Jews no longer feel safe in New York,” Netanyahu said, according to reports of his speech.
He also accused the mayor of being antisemitic and criticised his associations and previous statements concerning Israel and the Palestinian conflict.
The confrontation came against the backdrop of a longstanding dispute between Netanyahu and Mamdani over Israel’s military campaign in Gaza and the Palestinian question.
During his mayoral campaign, Mamdani had said Netanyahu should be arrested if he visited New York under the authority of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant. However, Mamdani later acknowledged that New York City officials did not have the legal authority to arrest the Israeli prime minister.
Mamdani Responds
Mamdani responded to Netanyahu’s U.N. address, accusing the Israeli prime minister of repeating what he described as “baseless lies” about Israel’s actions in Gaza.
He also referred to the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant concerning Netanyahu, while maintaining his criticism of Israel’s conduct in the Palestinian territory.
The exchange between the two leaders formed part of a highly contentious U.N. session, with several delegations leaving the General Assembly chamber as Netanyahu began his address.
Reuters reported that Netanyahu responded to the walkout by referring to those who left as “moral cowards.” Supporters in the gallery also expressed support for the Israeli leader.
Wider Gaza Dispute
Netanyahu’s speech came as Israel continues to face international criticism over its conduct in Gaza, while the Israeli government rejects allegations of genocide.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who addressed the General Assembly through a recorded video after being denied a U.S. visa, condemned Israel’s actions and called for a two-state solution.
The competing positions highlighted the continuing international divisions over the Israel-Hamas conflict, the future of Gaza and the broader Israeli-Palestinian dispute.
The Netanyahu-Mamdani confrontation has added a New York political dimension to the wider diplomatic dispute, with both men publicly maintaining sharply different positions over Israel, Gaza and Palestinian statehood.
