Netanyahu Says He Will Come to New York Despite Mamdani Arrest Dispute

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he intends to travel to New York City for the United Nations General Assembly despite the continuing controversy surrounding New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s past calls for his arrest.

Asked about attending the September gathering, Netanyahu said he was not concerned about the possibility and fully intended to make the trip. He noted that he has attended the high-level U.N. gathering during most years of his tenure unless security circumstances prevented him from doing so.

The comments follow a long-running dispute over the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant for Netanyahu. The ICC issued warrants for Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity connected to the Gaza conflict. Israel rejects the allegations and disputes the court’s jurisdiction.

Mamdani has called Netanyahu a “war criminal” and previously pledged during his mayoral campaign that he would seek Netanyahu’s arrest if the Israeli leader came to New York. Since becoming mayor, however, Mamdani has acknowledged significant legal obstacles to carrying out such a pledge.

The United States is not a member of the ICC and does not generally recognize the court’s jurisdiction over American territory or officials from nonmember countries such as Israel. Legal experts interviewed by Reuters said New York City’s mayor does not possess independent authority to enforce the ICC warrant.

There are additional legal protections surrounding foreign leaders traveling to the United Nations. Under agreements governing the U.N. headquarters and established principles of diplomatic immunity, foreign officials attending official U.N. functions receive significant protections while in the United States.

That means the controversy is not simply a disagreement between Netanyahu and Mamdani. It involves federal authority, international agreements, diplomatic immunity and America’s longstanding decision not to participate in the ICC.

President Donald Trump has made the administration’s position clear, saying Netanyahu “will not be arrested” while visiting the United States.

Trump’s position places the federal government firmly against any attempt by local authorities to detain the Israeli prime minister over the ICC warrant. The administration has also remained strongly critical of the court’s actions against Israeli officials.

Mamdani has continued criticizing Netanyahu while acknowledging that City Hall faces legal limitations. After consulting New York City’s legal department, the mayor said he lacks the authority to carry out the arrest himself and has instead called for changes at the federal level.

Netanyahu, meanwhile, appears determined not to allow the controversy to alter his plans. Asked whether Mamdani’s statements concerned him, the Israeli leader responded: “I’m not concerned, and I certainly intend to do so.”

The controversy illustrates an important distinction between political rhetoric and governmental authority. A mayor may strongly condemn a foreign leader, but foreign affairs, diplomatic relations and the treatment of visiting heads of government are overwhelmingly matters of federal and international law.

Netanyahu’s expected appearance will also put the U.S.-Israel relationship back in the international spotlight. Israel remains one of America’s closest Middle Eastern allies even as the Gaza conflict and the ICC case have generated intense political divisions.

Unless the legal circumstances change, experts say Mamdani cannot independently order Netanyahu’s arrest on the basis of the ICC warrant. Trump has gone further by publicly guaranteeing that Netanyahu will not be arrested during his visit.

Netanyahu, for his part, is signaling that he has every intention of showing up.