Israeli President Isaac Herzog has accused New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani of “spreading blasphemy, hate, antisemitic rhetoric”.
In an interview with Fox News, Herzog argued that Mamdani refuses to acknowledge “the Jewish people’s inherent right to have a nation of their own”.
"And he’s basically spreading blasphemy, hate, antisemitic rhetoric. He should understand that he’s risking his own citizens, he’s risking their safety, well-being and life,” he went on.
His comments came after Mamdani called Benjamin Netanyahu “a war criminal” and “the architect of a horrific genocide against the Palestinian people”, in a video he posted on social media on July 21, during which he admitted he did not have the legal authority to execute the International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant against the Israeli prime minister.
Herzog said: “This cannot be accepted in New York, which is a city that is dear to our hearts, dear to the Israelis and dear to me personally”
“I think New York will continue way after Mamdani. And I hope he won't create any irreversible damage. And I hope the citizens of New York will be as safe as was promised to them.”
Additionally, Herzog denounced Karim Khan, the former ICC chief prosecutor, who applied for the arrest warrants against Netanyahu and then-Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.
Herzog argued that the warrants were simply a distraction tactic used by Khan to deflect from the sexual harassment allegations levelled at him. Khan was dismissed in June by the ICC’s governing body, after it determined that there were grounds for dismissal in connection with the allegations, which he continues to deny.
Herzog asserted that Khan was prepared to visit Israel and meet with Israeli government officials, including Herzog, before a sudden cancellation of the delegation owing to the announcement of the arrest warrants.
Herzog insisted that the “case has to be dropped, and the ICC should revert it completely, and not fall into the trap of hate and lies that Karim Khan presented simply to cover for himself”.
Elsewhere in the interview, Herzog discussed the US-Israeli relationship following reports of strain between Netanyahu and President Trump, calling it “biblical and prophetic”.
He also maintained the necessity of continued bipartisan “friendship and support” between the US and Israel.
Herzog said: “We both drink from the fountain of the Bible.
“We both drink from this set of values which was commanded to all of us by these historic, spiritual books given to us by the Almighty.”
And, asked about the misgivings towards Israel of the younger generation, he suggested that these originated on social media. adding: “It is very easy to smear Israel on TikTok, but that doesn’t say the real truth.”
The president also discussed Iran, saying that the Iranian regime is a threat to regional stability.
“Think about it, they take their people’s food and money and spend it on terror all over the world. It’s a given fact”, he said adding: “You ask yourself, why?
“The ideology does not accommodate any other religion or moderate Islam, for that matter. That is why it is so dangerous”.
“You see it in their missile program, you see it in Hormuz, you see it in the nuclear desire, you see it in the butchering of tens of thousands of its citizens.
“Look how much suffering. So many American citizens were killed by this regime.”
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