Netanyahu confirms plans to attend UN General Assembly in New York

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has confirmed that he intends to attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York despite remarks by New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani suggesting the Israeli leader could face arrest.

Speaking in an interview with Fox News, Netanyahu said he was "not concerned" by the situation, Caliber.Az reports.

Netanyahu appeared to be referring to remarks Mamdani made last week, in which the New York mayoral candidate acknowledged that city officials lack the legal authority to arrest the Israeli prime minister under the International Criminal Court's (ICC) warrant, while urging federal authorities to take such action.

Despite Mamdani's repeated assertions that Netanyahu is not welcome in New York, the Israeli leader said he still plans to attend the United Nations General Assembly in September, where he pledged to "speak the truth" and defend Israel and its relationship with the United States from the UN podium.

"I've appeared just about every year... in my prime ministership, unless there are security conditions, but barring that — and I don't expect that to be the case this time — yes, I do intend to come to New York," the Israeli prime minister emphasised.

By Jeyhun Aghazada