Netanyahu in NYT Interview Dismisses Mamdani Threat

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu used his Wednesday interview at the New York Times Dealbook forum to deliver a forceful defense of Israel’s campaign in Gaza, warning Western governments about the expanding danger posed by Iran and its proxies.

In his conversation with the news outlet, Netanyahu said Israel is at a pivotal moment, insisting that “history beckons.” He flatly rejected establishing a Palestinian state and portrayed the legal proceedings against him as a diversion from Israel’s most urgent national priorities.

Discussing the war and the recent UN Security Council vote on President Donald Trump’s peace initiative, the Prime Minister argued that diplomatic progress only comes when backed by decisive force. He attributed the latest hostage releases to sustained military action combined with pressure from the American-led coalition.

“The battering that the Iran axis received opens up many possibilities,” Netanyahu told Sorkin. “We went into the last stronghold of Hamas in Gaza City. They didn’t believe we’d do it… And the combination of those two pressures brought Hamas to its senses.”

Reaffirming his long-held worldview, Netanyahu said that regional stability depends on demonstrating power. “In our neighborhood, and I venture to say now in all the areas of the world, the way you achieve peace is peace through strength,” he said. “If you’re weak, you invite aggression, and nobody makes peace with the weak. You make peace with the strong.”

When confronted with Saudi Arabia’s insistence on a path toward a two-state arrangement as part of normalization talks, Netanyahu dismissed the demand, pointing to the consequences of Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza. “There was a Palestinian state. It’s called Gaza. That’s exactly what it was,” he said. “We didn’t get peace. What we got was the most horrific massacre of Jews since the Holocaust.”

He also referenced near-unanimous opposition in the Knesset to externally imposed statehood plans. Netanyahu argued that Palestinian education and messaging remain incompatible with coexistence, referencing schoolbooks that glorify violence. “People say, look, there has to be a solution with the Palestinians. But it’s not one in which they don’t recognize the Jewish state… They indoctrinate their children with textbooks that are calling for children to become suicide bombers.”

Netanyahu dismissed any prospect of the Palestinian Authority taking control in Gaza, calling the PA “very corrupt” and criticizing its long absence of elections. “They cannot pay terrorists to kill more Jews,” he added.

He then delivered a sharp critique of the International Criminal Court and the global rise in antisemitism, drawing parallels between historic blood libels and accusations leveled at Israel. “The same lies that were leveled at the Jewish people are now being leveled at the Jewish state,” he said. “We don’t carpet bomb. We don’t do Dresden… We send our soldiers, some of whom die, trying to clear out these booby traps.”

Asked about New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s claim that Netanyahu could face arrest under the ICC warrant, the Prime Minister remained unfazed. “Yes, of course I will [come to New York],” he said.

Netanyahu also addressed his ongoing corruption case, confirming he has requested a pardon from President Yitzchak Herzog and repeating his view that the charges amount to a political “witch hunt.” “I received a Bugs Bunny doll 29 years ago, and I received some cigars and champagne bottles. That’s what this trial is about,” he said, criticizing the time demands of lengthy court sessions. “I think history beckons… The needs of Israel are such that to spend another two, three years in this nonsense where this trial has just collapsed, it’s become a joke.”

Despite the wartime challenges, Netanyahu voiced confidence in Israel’s long-term future, especially in technology and artificial intelligence, provided the country maintains robust security. He made clear he intends to stay at the helm. “When history is within reach, you don’t step aside. You step forward. And that’s what I’m doing,” he said. “We will change the face of the Middle East. We will win this war.”