Netanyahu puts NYC mayor Mamdani alongside Iran’s Ayatollah on enemies poster | The Independent Thank you for registering<br>Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in
Jump to content
Swipe for next article
Netanyahu puts NYC mayor Mamdani alongside Iran’s Ayatollah on enemies poster<br>‘Don’t let them win’ read the campaign message, showing the New York mayor alongside Hezbollah and Iranian leaders
Bookmark
Comments<br>Go to comments
Bookmark popover<br>Removed from bookmarks<br>Close popover
Netanyahu puts NYC mayor Mamdani alongside Iran’s Ayatollah on enemies poster
Your support helps us to tell the story<br>Read more
Support Now
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.<br>At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.<br>The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.<br>Your support makes all the difference.
Read more
Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud’s party has cast New York mayor Zohran Mamdani alongside Iranian and Hezbollah leaders in a campaign advert for the forthcoming Israeli elections.<br>The billboard seen in the country’s capital TV features the new Iranian supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei, Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Hezbollah’s security-general Naim Qassem against a jet black background.<br>“They want Netanyahu to lose, don’t let them win,” reads a caption alongside it.<br>Netanyahu reposted the image saying: “Don’t let them win.”<br>open image in gallery
A poster has appeared in Tel Aviv showing Mamdani as part of a group he has considered hostile to Israel (X/Netanyahu)<br>It follows a public clash with Mayor Mamdani after the US politician called on the federal government to enforce an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court in 2024 following allegations of war crimes in Gaza.
Although the US is not a member, the arrest warrant means the Israeli leader is an internationally wanted suspect and that the ICC’s 124 member states are be obliged to arrest him if he was to enter their territory.
Mayor Mamdani told The New York Times last month: “I believe that prime minister Netanyahu belongs in The Hague.
“He’s a war criminal who has been charged by the International Criminal Court. And what you will find is that it is an opinion that is held by many purely because of what his actions have wrought over these last many years.”<br>open image in gallery
Mamdani has branded Netanyahu a ‘war criminal’ who belongs in the Hague (NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani)<br>The politician said that he was looking into means to arrest Netanyahu but later clarified that the matter was outside his jurisdiction and called on the federal government to take action.
President Trump rushed to Netanyahu’s defence and insisted that he “will not be arrested, in any way, shape, or form, while in the United States of America” in a Truth Social Post.<br>Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon accused the mayor of antisemitism and supporting Hamas while Netanyahu called Mamdani’s words “hate speech”.
Despite the controversy, Netanyahu made an historic eighth state visit of Trump’s second term in July.<br>open image in gallery
Netanyahu and Trump remain close despite reports of tensions over the Middle East (Reuters)<br>A warrant for Netanyahu’s arrest was issued in November 2024, accusing him of being “responsible for the war crimes of starvation as a method of warfare and of intentionally directing an attack against the civilian population” in Gaza.<br>He is also accused of “crimes against humanity of murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts from at least 8 October 2023 until at least 20 May 2024” but Netanyahu denies the claims and has called them “antisemitic”.
Israeli elections take place in October this year and will be the first test of Netanyahu’s premiership since 7 October after which they were suspended and postponed.<br>The last elections were held in 2022 and saw Netanyahu’s Likud party join forces with the far-right religious parties of Israeli security minister Ben-Gvir and finance minister Bezelel Smotrich.
Join our commenting forum<br>Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies<br>Comments
Most popular
Popular videos
Bulletin
Read next
Thank you for...