Posted on 11/13/25
| News Source: Arutz-7
In a candid interview with Australian journalist Erin Molan, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed questions about Zohran Mamdani, the newly elected anti-Israel mayor of New York, and whether he felt concerned about visiting the city following Mamdani's comments that he would seek to arrest Netanyahu if he entered the city.
Netanyahu firmly responded, "No. I’m not afraid. What do you want me to say about Mamdani? What about him?"
He further elaborated on his views about Mamdani’s political stances, contrasting them with his own approach to economics, particularly the shift Israel made from semi-socialism to free-market capitalism. Netanyahu pointed out the success of Israel's economic reforms, which he said turned the country into a global high-tech powerhouse. He also warned that antisemitism, which Mamdani has been accused of supporting, can destroy societies.
"Antisemitism usually collapses societies," Netanyahu said, "it starts with the Jews, then goes to the blacks, the gays, the Hispanics… and it just collapses societies." He added that if New York continues down this path, it could have a "very dim future."
When asked if he would be open to a dialogue with Mamdani, Netanyahu was blunt, stating, "I have a lot of dialogues that I’m engaged in right now, a lot. And I think this one, I think he should get his act together before he makes these statements."
Netanyahu also emphasized the importance of being an educated leader, saying, "It’s good to be a young leader, but it’s not good to be a young, uneducated leader." He suggested that Mamdani, whom he accused of lacking understanding in areas like economics and antisemitism, needed to "brush up" on those subjects before any meaningful conversation could take place. Despite the tensions, Netanyahu’s message was clear: he’s open to discussion, but only if Mamdani is willing to reconsider his positions first.