Israel\u2019s UN ambassador Friday slammed socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani for fanning the flames of anti-Israel sentiment before next week\u2019s General Assembly meeting \u2014 only to now act as if he never did.<\/p>\n
Ambassador Danny Danon said in a sitdown with The Post that Hizzoner is \u201cclever\u201d \u2014 but can\u2019t walk back his call to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of the high-stakes UN meeting and then protest if that doesn\u2019t happen.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s very clever, but you cannot set the fire, then say this,\u201d Danon said, referring to Mamdani\u2019s recent attempt to backtrack after encouraging people to hit the streets.<\/p>\n
Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon says it\u2019s too little too late with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. ZUMAPRESS.com<\/p>\n
Mamdani claimed he \u201cnever encouraged\u201d anyone to protest when Netanyahu arrives in Manhattan on Wednesday, even after urging anti-Israel agitators to demonstrate if he failed to collar the PM upon arrival.<\/p>\n
Mamdani, pressed July 22<\/a> on his backup plan if an arrest fell through, responded, \u201cI think one of the bedrocks of our city is protest.\u201d<\/p>\n Danon noted, \u201cA few months before the UN General Assembly, he actually brought this idea to the floor.<\/p>\n \u201cHe actually set the fire by saying, \u2018I will not allow [Netanyahu], he will be arrested,\u2019 blah, blah, blah, blah.\u201d<\/p>\n While anti-Israel agitators plan to target Israel\u2019s UN delegation, Danon noted counterprotests are already brewing against Mamdani.<\/p>\n Mamdani took heat for saying he wanted to arrest Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu. Stephen Yang for NY Post<\/p>\n \u201cThe mayor has called for demonstrations. So we don\u2019t know what to expect,\u201d Danon told The Post.<\/p>\n \u201cSo far, though, I have seen, actually, demonstrations from the other side against the mayor.\u201d<\/p>\n About 150 people gathered outside<\/a> the mayor\u2019s home at Gracie Mansion in Manhattan on Friday to protest his alleged divisiveness.<\/p>\n Massive demonstrations previously rocked Manhattan<\/a> and the UN during Netanyahu\u2019s address in 2025.<\/p>\n Danon dismissed Mamdani\u2019s sudden supposed change of heart as \u201ctoo little, too late,\u201d emphasizing that the mayor\u2019s job is to ensure safety and welcome world leaders.<\/p>\n \u201cI think the mayor maybe now is trying to amend the mistake. It\u2019s too little, too late,\u201d Danon said.<\/p>\n \u201cHe should have said from the beginning: Everyone is welcome to New York. We want you to feel safe in New York. That\u2019s the responsibility of the mayor, not to say, \u2018I don\u2019t like Israel, and the prime minister should be arrested.\u201d<\/p>\n Netanyahu shows a pager he said he belonged to the Hezbollah terror group as he delivers a speech in Tel Aviv on Thursday. AFP via Getty Images<\/p>\n Danon also lashed out at Mamdani during a press conference Thursday <\/a>\u2014 calling for his arrest ahead Netanyahu\u2019s planned visit to next week.<\/p>\n \u201c[He made] this ridiculous claim that he can or he\u00a0should arrest the prime minister<\/a>,\u201d Danon said, according to\u00a0C-SPAN footage<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cPrime Minister Netanyahu<\/a>\u00a0will proudly address the General Assembly. He will do so despite threats, incitement and antisemitic rhetoric we have heard from the mayor of the city of New York,\u201d he said, according to footage posted by\u00a0Jewish Insider.<\/a><\/p>\n The mayor\u2019s office did not respond to The Post\u2019s request for comment.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t