Speaking to The Post, Ambassador Danny Danon described the mayor as “clever” but said he cannot “set the fire” by calling for Netanyahu’s arrest and then retreat from that stance, referencing Mamdani’s earlier remarks urging anti‑Israel agitators to demonstrate if the prime minister was not detained upon arrival in Manhattan.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a self‑identified socialist, later claimed he “never encouraged” anyone to protest Netanyahu’s visit, insisting that protest is “one of the bedrocks of our city.” He attempted to backtrack after previously telling supporters he would not allow the prime minister to enter the city without being arrested.
Danon warned that Mamdani’s rhetoric could inflame anti‑Israel sentiment and noted that counter‑protests are already forming. About 150 people gathered outside the mayor’s Gracie Mansion residence on Friday to protest what they described as his divisive statements.
Emphasizing the mayor’s duty to ensure safety and welcome world leaders, Danon called Mamdani’s late‑stage change of tone “too little, too late,” adding that Netanyahu will address the General Assembly despite any threats, incitement, or antisemitic rhetoric he has heard from the New York mayor.
The mayor’s office did not respond to The Post’s request for comment.