Israeli President Isaac Herzog has issued a stark warning that New York City’s mayor, Zohran Mamdani, risks harming the Jewish community he was elected to protect through inflammatory rhetoric targeting Israel.
In a statement delivered at his Jerusalem residence, Herzog accused Mamdani of spreading antisemitism and denying Jews’ right to national self-determination. He emphasized that the mayor’s repeated characterization of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a war criminal and perpetrator of genocide against Palestinians creates an environment where antisemitic violence could escalate—particularly amid heightened fears following a stabbing in Manhattan and rising tensions over Jewish safety in New York City, which hosts the largest Jewish population outside Israel.
Herzog clarified that he did not accuse Mamdani of personally orchestrating attacks but stressed that consistent rhetoric degrading Israel’s right to exist as the national home of the Jewish people undermines trust between New York and Jerusalem. “When a mayor repeatedly brands Israel with language of criminality and genocide, that rhetoric can inflict damage on New York that outlasts his administration,” Herzog stated, referencing Mamdani’s July 21 video where he labeled Netanyahu a war criminal.
The Israeli president also credited President Donald Trump for securing the return of 255 hostages held by Hamas after October 7 and advancing U.S.-Israel cooperation through diplomatic recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, embassy relocation to Jerusalem, and sovereignty over the Golan Heights. Herzog contrasted this with Mamdani’s approach, noting that while Trump has used American power to strengthen Israel’s security and demand Hamas disarming, Mamdani’s rhetoric risks turning Israel into a political target rather than an ally.
Herzog warned that Jewish residents in New York need a mayor who understands antisemitism extends beyond protest signs and videos—it manifests on sidewalks, synagogues, schools, and transit systems. “The next responsibility belongs to City Hall,” he concluded, urging Mamdani to address the erosion of trust within his city’s Jewish community.
