Top New York Jewish Democrats are defending Mayor Zohran Mamdani. They spoke out after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called him an “antisemite” and said he is “buddies” with Hamas.

Netanyahu made the remarks in his speech at the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday. Mamdani, an outspoken critic of Israel’s Gaza campaign, has pledged to honor the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant for Netanyahu. He later conceded New York City lacks the power to enforce it.

Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal called the claims “scurrilous.” He said it is wrong to suggest the mayor supports Hamas. City Council Speaker Julie Menin called Netanyahu’s remarks “not helpful at all.” She warned the language could incite violence.

Mamdani has condemned Hamas as “a terrorist organization.” He has also denounced antisemitic hate crimes in New York. The mayor hit back at Netanyahu’s speech. He said it repeated “baseless lies meant to sanitize his genocide of Palestinians.”

The clash follows weeks of rising criticism of Mamdani from Israeli officials. His vocal pro-Palestinian stance has alarmed some local Jewish leaders.