Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he will still attend the United Nations General Assembly in September despite claiming the "rhetoric" of New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani is making Jews feel "unsafe" in the city.Mr Mamdani has backed away from earlier comments suggesting he would seek Mr Netanyahu's arrest when the Israeli leader visited New York under an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant alleging war crimes.Mr Mamdani, who became New York City's first Muslim mayor last year, later acknowledged he had no legal authority to enforce the ICC warrant.Mr Netanyahu is a close ally of US President Donald Trump and a key partner in the ongoing US-Israeli military campaign against Iran.Zohran Mamdani became New York's first Muslim mayor last November. (Reuters: Jeenah Moon)The Israeli leader told Fox News on Sunday he was "not concerned" about the prospect of legal action if he travelled to New York.But he blasted Mr Mamdani for his words that he says is dividing America's most famous city."He's fomenting hate. He's supposed to be the mayor of all New Yorkers — Jews, Christians, Muslims, everyone," Mr Netanyahu told host Maria Bartiromo."But he's trying to turn one group against the other. I speak to Jewish Americans, and they're afraid right now."Mamdani celebrated the October 7th massacre, the worst massacre against Jews since the Holocaust. "He's supporting the Hamas murderers who raped our women, then beheaded them, burned babies alive, slaughtered our men, took innocent people, hostages, 251 men, women, children, babies."Mr Mamdani has repeatedly condemned the October 7th attacks during his campaign to become mayor.A supporter of Palestinian rights, the mayor said earlier this month that his administration had been exploring options to arrest the Israeli prime minister over alleged war crimes in Gaza. “I believe that prime minister Netanyahu belongs in The Hague,” Mr Mamdani said in a speech. “He’s a war criminal who has been charged by the international criminal court, and what you will find is that is an opinion that is held by many, purely because of what his actions have wrought over these past many years.”The Israeli prime minister's comments to Fox News about the mayor were slammed by progressive groups on social media.Mr Netanyahu linked his concerns to two stabbing attacks in Manhattan last week, claiming they reflected growing fears among Jewish New Yorkers.Police allege a suspect stabbed a Jewish man and an Asian man just blocks apart while shouting "Allahu akbar". While both victims survived, the suspect has been charged with hate crimes in relation to the attacks.Mr Netanyahu is due to arrive in the US this week on a separate visit, with New York not part of the itinerary.He will meet Mr Trump at the White House on Tuesday before attending the funeral of former US senator Lindsey Graham. Mr Graham, a staunch supporter of Israel who called for the US to escalate the war against Iran, died on July 11 at the age of 71 after a heart problem at his at his Washington DC home."Lindsey Graham was one of the greatest friends the State of Israel has ever known. And I am certain that in this matter," Mr Netanyahu said in a later interview translated from Hebrew as he prepared to board his flight to the US.ABC/wires