Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's re-election campaign has utilized a prominent billboard in Tel Aviv featuring New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani alongside figures such as Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The billboard, displayed on the Ayalon highway, includes the message: "They want Netanyahu to lose. Don’t let them win."
The display highlights a contentious relationship between Netanyahu and Mamdani. Mamdani has previously criticized Netanyahu's actions in Gaza, calling him a "war criminal." He also threatened to arrest Netanyahu under an International Criminal Court warrant should he visit New York for the upcoming United Nations General Assembly. However, Mamdani later acknowledged that the New York Police Department does not possess the authority to apprehend a foreign leader on international charges.
Mamdani's inclusion on the billboard reflects broader political tensions and strategic messaging within Netanyahu's campaign. The image juxtaposes Mamdani with leaders considered adversaries of Israel, aiming to galvanize support by framing the election as a stand against external and internal opposition.