Gadi Eizenkot Criticizes NYC Mayor's Comments on October 7 Massacre but Avoids Condemning Arrest Threat Against Netanyahu

Gadi Eizenkot, chairman of the Israeli political party Yisrael, issued a statement on Wednesday criticizing New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani's remarks about the October 7 massacre. However, Eizenkot notably refrained from addressing Mamdani's direct threat to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he visits New York, including for events like the United Nations General Assembly.

Mamdani sparked widespread controversy after declaring that Netanyahu "belongs in The Hague" and is the "architect of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza." He also claimed to be engaged in active discussions about the possibility of arresting Netanyahu during his potential visit to Manhattan. These statements provoked strong backlash in the United States, including outright rejection from former President Donald Trump and legal clarifications that such arrest decisions fall exclusively under federal jurisdiction.

Despite being the only opposition figure to respond officially to Mamdani's comments on the October 7 attack, Eizenkot's statement deliberately omitted any condemnation of the mayor's threat to detain the Israeli prime minister. The controversy continues to unfold amid heightened tensions surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and international diplomatic events.