Netanyahu vows to visit New York despite incoming mayor’s ICC arrest threat

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on Wednesday, December 3, that he still intends to travel to New York, despite threats from incoming mayor Zohran Mamdani to arrest him under an International Criminal Court warrant.

“Yes, I’ll come to New York,” Netanyahu said during a virtual interview with the New York Times’ Dealbook forum, according to foreign media reports.

When asked whether he would attempt to engage with Mamdani, Netanyahu responded, “If he changes his mind and says that we have the right to exist, that’ll be a good opening for a conversation.”

Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist who will become New York’s first Muslim and first South Asian mayor, has repeatedly affirmed his support for Israel’s right to exist. However, he has stopped short of recognising Israel’s right to be a Jewish state, arguing that no nation should establish a “hierarchy of citizenship” based on religion or other criteria.

The mayor-elect has pledged to direct the New York Police Department to enforce arrest warrants for leaders wanted by the International Criminal Court, including Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The Hague-based ICC stated last year that it had reasonable grounds to believe Netanyahu bore responsibility for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity during Israel’s sustained military offensive in Gaza following the unprecedented Hamas attack on October 7, 2023.

Israel has strongly rejected the accusations. Israel, the United States, and Russia are among the nations that have declined to join the ICC.

Despite Mamdani’s warnings, an arrest of Netanyahu is widely considered unlikely, and it remains uncertain whether the mayor-elect has the authority to carry it out. Immigration and related matters fall under federal jurisdiction, and the Trump administration has actively defended Israel, including imposing sanctions on ICC judges and prosecutors.

New York is home to the largest Jewish population outside of Israel and hosts the United Nations, where Netanyahu has frequently attended the annual General Assembly. Under international agreements as the host country, the United States is responsible for issuing visas for official UN business, though in September, the Trump administration denied entry to Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas.

By Tamilla Hasanova