Netanyahu and Mamdani clash over Gaza at UN

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directly criticized New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani during his address to the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, rejecting Mamdani’s accusation that Israel committed genocide in Gaza. Mamdani responded after the speech by accusing Netanyahu of repeating baseless lies and using the address to sanitize what he called Israel’s genocide of Palestinians. Netanyahu said Israel had not committed genocide but had prevented one. He addressed Mamdani as he defended Israel’s conduct in Gaza, accusing the mayor of distorting facts and trying to silence him. Netanyahu also said many Jewish New Yorkers no longer feel safe since Mamdani became mayor. The accounts of the speech reported no direct examples linking any change in Jewish New Yorkers’ safety to Mamdani’s election. The competing statements reflect the leaders’ sharply different positions on Israel’s war in Gaza. Mamdani has accused Netanyahu of genocide, while Netanyahu rejects that charge. The reports establish what each man said, not whether the underlying genocide allegation is true.