New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's recent admission that he lacks the legal authority to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has done little to ease ongoing tensions between himself and the Jewish community. Jewish leaders told Fox News Digital that they are still concerned about the mayor's rhetoric, which they believe deepens divisions at a time of heightened concern over antisemitism.
Israel has remained one of the defining points of tension between Mamdani and the Jewish community in New York City since his campaign. When running for mayor, Mamdani said that he would seek to arrest Netanyahu, despite many pointing out that he did not have the authority to do so, which he ultimately admitted on Tuesday.
The issue resurfaced this week after Mamdani released a video explaining that while City Hall lacks the authority to arrest Netanyahu, he believes the prime minister should be held accountable under the International Criminal Court's warrant.
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In a video posted on social media, Mamdani called Netanyahu "a war criminal" and "the architect of a horrific genocide against the Palestinian people."
"My administration has reviewed every avenue available under applicable law to determine whether New York City could execute the International Criminal Court's arrest warrant if Benjamin Netanyahu came here. It is clear that we do not have the independent legal authority to enforce this warrant," he said.
Nevertheless, he added that the Israeli leader was "not welcome in New York City."
Jewish leaders who spoke with Fox News Digital said the mayor's legal concession did little to address the community's concerns about Mamdani's rhetoric, which they believe fuels division.
Additionally, during a news conference Wednesday, Mamdani was asked how he believed New Yorkers should respond to Netanyahu's expected visit for the annual United Nations General Assembly in September.
"I think the bedrocks of our city is protest. It is something that has been a part of what makes our city so special, that New Yorkers can express themselves, whether they are in support or in opposition, no matter on whatever topic," he said.
Orthodox Union Executive Vice President and COO Rabbi Dr. Josh Joseph said the remarks were especially concerning given recent protests over the Israel-Hamas war.
"We know that the protests in the last few years have gotten violent at times," Joseph told Fox News Digital. "So, he's willing to risk inciting further violence based on misinformation."
Manhattan Jewish Experience (MJE) Founder and Director Rabbi Mark Wildes said that the mayor's remarks demonstrated a broader hostility toward Israel rather than criticism of a government official.
"What's upsetting to us in the Jewish community is that he's saying these things just to continue to drum home his message that the Jewish state, the state of Israel, has no right to exist," Wildes told Fox News Digital.
Wildes said that Mamdani's criticisms, in his view, have "nothing to do with Netanyahu's policies" and rather it was about "the Jewish people's right to defend themselves after being attacked, which is the only thing which is being done in Gaza and Lebanon."
The MJE leader added that the mayor's comments, particularly his sentiment that Netanyahu was "not welcome," risk further alienating Jewish New Yorkers at a time when they already feel vulnerable and disconnected from City Hall. He said the remark encapsulated how Jewish New Yorkers were feeling.
"For a leader in New York to say, 'You're not welcome here,' is upsetting, obviously, but it's consistent," Wildes said. "There's nothing he's saying that's inconsistent with the way he ran, with the kind of agenda that he has, he's been pro-Hamas, pro-terrorism since day one, and he's just showing his true colors."
Mamdani has been critical of Hamas — he condemned anti-Israel protesters chanting in support of the terrorist group earlier this year — but he has been criticized for being more strident in his rhetoric against Israel.
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Joseph similarly warned that Mamdani needed to "remember that his words matter" as the leader of New York City.
Despite their criticism of the mayor, both Wildes and Joseph remain confident in the resilience of New York's Jewish community. Wildes argued that the heightened political tensions would not deter the Jewish community's connection to Israel or New York City.
"Am Yisrael Chai is not just a slogan. Am Yisrael Chai means the Jewish people are alive. Israel is thriving, and Israel is continuing to grow," Wildes said.
Mamdani's office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
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