JERUSALEM – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday that he still intends to visit New York, brushing aside threats from incoming mayor Zohran Mamdani, who has vowed to direct police to enforce International Criminal Court arrest warrants against foreign leaders accused of war crimes.
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Speaking remotely at the New York Times DealBook Summit, Netanyahu confirmed he plans to visit the city and indicated he would only meet Mamdani if the mayor-elect revised his stance toward Israel. Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist and soon to be New York’s first Muslim and first South Asian mayor, has said he supports Israel’s right to exist but rejects the notion that any state should privilege one group’s citizenship over another.
Mamdani has repeatedly stated that if ICC warrants apply to foreign heads of state — including Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin — he believes New York authorities should honor them. Legal experts note, however, that a mayor has limited authority in such matters and that an arrest is considered unlikely.
The ICC issued warrants last year alleging Netanyahu bore responsibility for war crimes in Gaza following Israel’s intense military response to the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack. Israel and the United States are not members of the court and reject its jurisdiction.
New York, home to the largest Jewish community outside Israel as well as the United Nations headquarters, has regularly hosted Netanyahu during past General Assembly sessions. Although the U.S. is obligated under UN agreements to provide visas for official business, past administrations have used discretion — most notably when the Trump administration denied entry to Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas in 2025.
Mamdani’s stance has stirred political tension but is widely viewed as symbolic. Ultimate authority over foreign-policy matters rests with the federal government, and the Trump administration has strongly defended Israel while sanctioning ICC officials.
Netanyahu’s visit, whenever it occurs, is expected to draw significant attention given the ongoing conflict in Gaza and the friction between Israel’s leadership and New York’s incoming mayor.
כל הכבוד Mandummy ימ״ש
Don’t worry Bibi. You’ll have Rikers Is. all to yourself and it’ll be the safest place cuz MamZORdummy will empty all its serious offenders out to Gotham’s streets.