Gadi Eisenkot Condemns New York Mayor's Accusations Against Netanyahu as Irresponsible Antisemitism

Gadi Eisenkot, chairman of the Yisrael party and former IDF Chief of Staff, strongly responded to New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani's recent attack on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Mamdani had labeled Netanyahu a "war criminal" and "architect of a horrific genocide against the Palestinian people," accusing him of responsibility for tens of thousands of deaths and humanitarian atrocities. Eisenkot rejected these claims, emphasizing Israel's right to self-defense and condemning Mamdani's statements as "pure antisemitism" and a dangerous distortion of facts.

Eisenkot recalled the October 7, 2023 Hamas terror attack, describing it as the worst act of terror and hate crime against the Jewish people since the Holocaust, involving mass murder, arson, rape, and mutilation of Israeli civilians. He stressed that no force can rewrite history to portray the attacker as the victim or excuse the heinous acts of Hamas against civilians. Eisenkot compared the fight against terror to New York's experience on September 11, underscoring the importance of truth in confronting such evil.

He criticized Mamdani's remarks as irresponsible and inflammatory, especially in 2026, warning against equating Israel's Defense Forces, which operate under international law and clear ethical standards, with terrorist organizations. Eisenkot reaffirmed Israel's right to live securely in its land and rejected any attempts to undermine that right.

Mamdani had also stated that his office reviewed the legal options regarding the International Criminal Court's arrest warrant against Netanyahu but concluded that the New York City government lacks the authority to enforce it. Mamdani accused Netanyahu of causing widespread suffering, including attacks on hospitals and humanitarian workers, and criticized U.S. funding of Israeli military actions. However, he acknowledged the city's limited legal capacity to act on the ICC warrant.

This exchange highlights the ongoing international tensions surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the political ramifications of accusations against Israeli leadership abroad.