Israeli President Isaac Herzog sharply criticized New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani during a speech at Yeshiva University, calling the mayor-elect’s comments “outrageous” and harmful to Jewish communities. Herzog said remarks questioning Jews’ right to immigrate to Israel and to engage in traditional Zionist practices not only delegitimize the Jewish people’s historic homeland but also risk legitimizing violence and undermining religious freedom. He described the rhetoric as both anti-Jewish and anti-American.
Accepting an honorary doctorate, Herzog warned of a climate in which Holocaust inversion, conspiracy theories, and new forms of Jew-hatred are spreading online and in public debate. He said that while explicit slurs have become less socially acceptable, many now cloak hostility toward Jews as anti-Zionism. “Where Jews were once ‘Yids’ in America, Zionists are now called ‘Zios,'” he said.
Herzog referenced a recent incident in Manhattan in which an aliyah event at a prominent synagogue was disrupted by anti-Israel demonstrators. He criticized the incoming mayor’s reported response suggesting that Jews seeking to fulfill aliyah were violating international law, calling such remarks an example of how delegitimization can encourage hatred. “In the face of such hatred, we must fight back fiercely and fearlessly,” Herzog said, defending the long-standing religious and cultural importance of returning to Zion.
He also addressed Israel’s national trauma following the October 7 massacre by Hamas. Herzog said that, apart from one remaining case, hostages taken by Hamas have been returned and he urged the immediate release of Police Master Sergeant Ran Gvili. He praised the courage of Israeli civilians and soldiers and recounted making more than 1,500 bereavement visits during the conflict. Herzog noted the recovery of the body of New York native Captain Omer Neutra and honored his family as heroes.
Turning to international support, Herzog credited the United States and President Donald J. Trump with help in securing some hostage returns and outlined what he described as a postwar vision for the region. He said the plan aims to deter Hamas and other adversaries while promoting renewed dialogue with neighboring states including Syria, Lebanon, and Saudi Arabia.
Herzog concluded by urging Jewish communities to remain resilient and united in the face of hostility. “Our people have been to hell and back, and yet we are here, and we shall overcome,” he said, calling for solidarity with Israel and a vigorous response to rising antisemitism.
