MK Sharren Haskel called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, and the Interior Minister to declare New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani persona non grata and permanently bar him from entering Israel.
Haskel, who recently served as Israel's Deputy Foreign Minister, said Mamdani's rhetoric and campaign against Israel go beyond ordinary political disagreement. She argued his conduct threatens Israel's security, fuels antisemitism, weakens Jewish communities worldwide, and seeks to undermine Israel's legitimacy internationally.
The appeal follows Mamdani's public call for the arrest of Prime Minister Netanyahu during the Prime Minister's visit to New York for the United Nations General Assembly. Haskel also cited his support for boycotts targeting Israel and efforts to delegitimize the Jewish state and its institutions.
Haskel requested three actions: review all intelligence and legal material on Mamdani, invoke the Entry into Israel Law to designate him persona non grata, and bar him from entering the country or receiving official access.
"Israel is a democracy that values freedom of expression," Haskel stated. "At the same time, every democracy has the responsibility to protect its sovereignty and democratic institutions."
She added: "An individual who uses international platforms to call for the arrest of Israel's elected leaders and actively campaigns to delegitimize the Jewish state should not enjoy the privilege of entering Israel. We must adopt a policy of zero tolerance toward those who systematically work against the State of Israel and the Jewish people."
In her letter, Haskel distinguished between free speech and what she characterized as subversive incitement, citing Mamdani's demands for Netanyahu's arrest at the UN General Assembly and his promotion of boycotts. She concluded: "People who use global platforms to call for the arrest of Israeli leaders lose any right to visit here. We must enforce zero tolerance against anyone actively hostile to our state and the Jewish people."