A billboard showing a collage of the mayor of New York, Zohran Mamdani, alongside Iranian and Hezbollah leaders. Photo shared on Benjamin Netanyahu's X account.
Ahead of Israel’s first elections since the Gaza war, set for Oct. 27, 2026, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party has drawn attention in the Israeli and international press with a campaign poster linking New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani to Iranian, Turkish, and Hezbollah leaders.
The poster, bearing the logo of Likud, Netanyahu's right-wing party, was displayed in downtown Tel Aviv. It depicts Mamdani, elected in January 2026 and known for his strong criticism of the Israeli government and its war in Gaza, alongside Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem. The slogan reads: “They want Netanyahu to lose. Don’t let them win.”
Netanyahu posted a photo of the poster Sunday on his social media accounts, with a video featuring statements by Mamdani, including him calling Netanyahu a “war criminal.”
Americans favor Mamdani
Tensions have recently escalated as Netanyahu seeks to maintain his coalition with far-right allies Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.
Ahead of Netanyahu’s latest visit to Washington, where he met with President Donald Trump, Mamdani said he was exploring the legal possibility of arresting the Israeli prime minister during the United Nations General Assembly in September. Netanyahu, subject of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant since November 2024, responded by accusing Mamdani of promoting “hate speech.”
A poll by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research published July 7 found that Mamdani was viewed more favorably than Netanyahu among American Jewish people, with 44% expressing a favorable opinion of Mamdani compared with 32% for Netanyahu.
Netanyahu has made no secret of his hostility toward Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has repeatedly condemned Israel’s war on Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023.
Netanyahu has also expressed concern that traditional bipartisan U.S. support for Israel could be weakened by progressive Democrats aligned with Mamdani.
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