Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sparked pushback from foreign and local leaders as he delivered a defiant speech at the United Nations in Manhattan on Friday while more than 2,000 protesters on all sides of the ongoing conflict in Gaza gathered on the streets outside.
Netanyahu’s visit quickly became a flashpoint for this year’s mayoral election, with Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani issuing a statement condemning the right-wing Israeli leader over the war in Gaza while Mayor Adams attended Netanyahu’s speech and met privately with him afterward.
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Friday, Sept. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
Mamdani, who has vowed if elected to order the NYPD to arrest Netanyahu on war crime charges leveled against him by the International Criminal Court, noted in a statement that the prime minister was delivering his speech before “an institution which has concluded his government has committed a genocide of Palestinians in Gaza.”
“During the course of his speech, another Palestinian child will undoubtedly be killed by the Israeli military in Gaza, as they have been every single hour for nearly two years,” said Mamdani, who’s polling as the favorite to become the city’s next mayor.
Adams, who’s mounting a longshot independent bid against Mamdani in November’s election, said in a statement after his meeting with Netanyahu that he thanked the prime minister “for defending the western world and our way of life.”
“At a time when much of the world is turning its back on the Jewish State of Israel, the mayor of the largest Jewish community outside of Israel must remain steadfast in our support for Israel, its right to defend itself, eliminate Hamas, and bring every single one of their hostages home,” said the statement from Adams, whose office provided photos of him and Netanyahu.
Protestors advocating for the release of Israeli hostages protest outside the UN in Manhattan during Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech in front of the United Nations General Assembly Friday, Sept. 26, 2025 in New York City. (Barry Williams/ New York Daily News)
Polls show an increasing number of New Yorkers are souring on the prime minister amid growing criticism over his handling of the war in Gaza, which has killed more than 65,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. A New York Times/Siena poll recently found support for Palestinians among registered city voters outstripped sympathy with Israel by a margin of 44 to 26 percent.
Andrew Cuomo, who’s also running as an independent against Mamdani and polls as the most potent threat to him, has been a steadfast supporter of Israel and at one point was part of a legal team to defend Netanyahu against the war crime charges. But the ex-governor has recently modified his rhetoric to also speak out against the war in Gaza.
“As the governor has said, what’s going on in Gaza is horrific, the hostages must be returned, the violence must end, and Hamas must be eliminated,” Cuomo spokesman Rich Azzopardi said after Netanyahu’s speech.
Rabbi Shmuley Boteach (center, with phone) faces off with pro-Palestinian protesters in Midtown Manhattan on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025. (Barry Williams / New York Daily News)
Inside the UN, the international distaste for Netanyahu was palpable, as a large group of foreign delegates walked out in protest of his government’s war as soon as he took the podium in the building Assembly Hall.
Israel launched the military campaign against Hamas in response to the Oct. 7, 2023 terror attack in Israel. Netanyahu in his speech was sharly critical of efforts underway globally and at the UN to press for a Palestinian state.
“It will be a mark of shame on all you,” Netanyahu said at the UN, arguing that recognizing Palestinian statehood would be akin to giving al-Qaeda a sovereign land next to Manhattan after the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks.
Pro-Palestinian activists protest in Dag Hammarskjold Plaza outside the United Nations General Assembly Friday, Sept. 26, 2025 in Manhattan, New York. (Barry Williams/ New York Daily News)
Outside the UN, hundreds of advocates from both sides of the conflict gathered to voice support and opposition for Israel.
About 100 people flying Israeli flags gathered near the international meeting to voice solidarity with Israel. Some Israelis in that crowd, though, voiced opposition to Netanyahu and his handling of the war.
“Netanyahu is isolating Israel from the world. (He’s) destroying the country of Israel to stay in power,” Yehuda Cohen, the father of Israel Defense Force soldier Nimrod Cohen, who was taken hostage on Oct. 7 and remains held by Hamas, said outside the UN.
“He’s ignoring public opinion in Israel,” Cohen added. “This is not a political issue. This is a genocidal issue. Eighty percent of the Israeli public wants to end the war and get a hostage deal. He doesn’t care. There are protests in Israel everywhere. Europe is now talking about the recognition of a Palestinian state. This is the only way.”
A pro-Palestinian activist yells at a counter protester in Dag Hammarskjold Plaza outside the United Nations General Assembly Friday, Sept. 26, 2025 in Manhattan, New York. (Barry Williams/ New York Daily News)
A throng of about 1,000 pro-Palestine protesters arrived later after marching to the UN from Times Square.
“Free, free, free Palestine,” the crowd chanted. “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free. From the sea to the river, Palestine will live forever, Palestine will live forever.”
“Down, down with the occupation, up, up with liberation,” they also chanted.
Yehuda Cohen, Nimrod Cohen’s father, speaks during a protest advocating for the release of Israeli hostages outside the United Nations during Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech at the United Nations General Assembly on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025 in Manhattan, New York, (Barry Williams/ New York Daily News)
Thaer Ahmed, a Palestinian-American doctor who has made numerous relief trips to Gaza, expressed worry for his colleagues working at the area’s largest hospital, which has come under intense bombardment from Israeli strikes.
“Unfortunately, the Israeli military would like to normalize attacking hospitals and doctors and nurses and ambulances and paramedics,” he said. “So to my colleagues in Al-Shifa Hospital in the emergency department right now, I want to send a message here from the headquarters of the United Nations in New York City, we are with you. We stand in solidarity with you.”
The protests remained largely peaceful, and the NYPD had reported no arrests outside the UN as of mid-Friday afternoon.
Protestors advocating for the release of Israeli hostages protest outside the UN in Manhattan during Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech in front of the United Nations General Assembly Friday, Sept. 26, 2025 in New York City. (Barry Williams/ New York Daily News)
In his statement, Mamdani also reserved ire for Adams and Cuomo over their support for Netanyahu.
“Eric Adams will greet Netanyahu as a friend. Andrew Cuomo proudly served on his legal defense team. Both have jockeyed for the approval of Donald Trump, who has sent billions of our taxpayer dollars to support these war crimes,” said Mamdani.
“A mayor cannot end these atrocities. But they can speak for the values of this city: a commitment to human rights for all people, including Palestinians, and a yearning for peace and justice.”
Originally Published: September 26, 2025 at 10:40 AM EDT