Israeli President Herzog Rebukes NYC Mayor Mamdani Amid Surge in Antisemitic Hate Crimes
Israeli president warns political rhetoric endangers citizens as NYPD and global reports show unprecedented spikes in violent incidents.
JERUSALEM — Israeli President Isaac Herzog explicitly criticized New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani for spreading antisemitic rhetoric, warning that political incitement is directly endangering residents as violent incidents against Jewish communities mount globally.
Herzog’s reprimand follows newly released New York City Police Department data showing that anti-Jewish incidents accounted for 56.9% of all confirmed hate crimes in the city since the beginning of 2026, despite Jewish New Yorkers representing roughly 10% of the population.
“Mamdani does not respect my nation’s right for self-determination — the Jewish people’s inherent right to have a nation of their own,” Herzog said in an interview at his residence in Jerusalem. Pointing to a July 21 social media video in which Mamdani called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a “war criminal” and “the architect of a horrific genocide,” Herzog stated that the mayor is “spreading blasphemy, hate, antisemitic rhetoric” and “risking his own citizens, he’s risking their safety, well-being and life.”
The friction underscores a volatile safety environment in New York, exemplified by a recent incident on Manhattan’s Upper West Side where 51-year-old Raul Morales allegedly yelled “Allahu Akbar” while stabbing two men, including one who was visibly identifiable as an Orthodox Jew.
Beyond New York, statistics compiled by the J7 Large Communities’ Task Force Against Antisemitism reflect a sharp international escalation. The coalition — comprising Jewish communities in the United States, Australia, Canada, Argentina, the United Kingdom, Germany, and France — reported that 20 people were killed in antisemitic attacks outside Israel in 2025, marking the deadliest year for the Jewish diaspora since 1994.
The J7 report documented more than 23,000 antisemitic incidents across member nations last year, representing a 97% increase in violent attacks and a 136% surge in overall incidents compared to 2022. Calling antisemitism a “contamination of societies that starts with the Jew — never ends with them,” Herzog urged international governments, law enforcement agencies, and educational institutions to act aggressively.
Herzog also cited an essay by Prof. Niall Ferguson titled “The Death of History,” warning that social media channels like TikTok distort historical facts and fuel Holocaust denial. Herzog noted that online smears ignore real-world contributions from Israel, where “the Startup Nation flourishes” across technology, health, energy, and agriculture.
To counter anti-Jewish violence and internal polarization, Herzog highlighted his “Voice of the People” initiative, established in April 2023. The organization, which convened an inaugural summit in Haifa in March 2025, brings together a 150-member council of emerging global leaders to address systemic challenges facing Jewish communities, with applications for the next cohort opening in November.
