The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday said he plans to attend the UN General Assembly in September after New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani urged the US federal government to enforce an International Criminal Court arrest warrant.
“I intend to come and speak the truth, speak for Israel and for the Israeli-American alliance from the podium of the United Nations,” Mr Netanyahu told Fox News.
After acknowledging he does not have the legal authority to execute the ICC arrest warrant, Mr Mamdani said Mr Netanyahu is “not welcome in New York City, nor is any other war criminal at large”.
The New York City mayor also alleged Mr Netanyahu is responsible for “a horrific genocide against the Palestinian people”. Mr Netanyahu said Mr Mamdani is promoting “bogus charges” and “fomenting hate”.
In a Truth Social media post last week, Donald Trump wrote: “Benjamin Netanyahu will not be arrested, in any way, shape, or form, while in the United States of America.” The post did not make any reference to Mr Mamdani's comments.
The ICC issued arrest warrants in 2024 for Mr Netanyahu and the former Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant for crimes against humanity and war crimes linked to Israel's military campaign in Gaza following Hamas's attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which left roughly 1,200 people dead and 250 kidnapped.
Israel has levelled much of Gaza and left more than 73,000 people dead, according to figures from the Palestinian Health Ministry. Neither Israel nor the US is a member of the ICC, and Washington does not recognise the court's jurisdiction over its citizens or those of allied countries.
