In brief
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced he will be in New York for the UN General Assembly this fall, despite Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s earlier threat to arrest him under a warrant from the International Criminal Court. Mamdani later clarified that the city had no legal authority to execute the warrant and urged federal action instead. Netanyahu criticised the mayor for what he called ‘fomenting hate,’ citing recent stabbings in the city that were charged as hate crimes. The incident has heightened tensions amid Israel’s ongoing conflict in Gaza and international scrutiny.
Netanyahu plans to attend the UN General Assembly in New York this autumn, despite the city mayor’s earlier threat to arrest him on a warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Mamidani withdrew the threat last week, admitting the city lacked the legal power to execute the ICC warrant, and urged federal authorities instead. Netanyahu responded on Fox News, saying he was “not concerned” and accusing the mayor of “fomenting hate” while attempting to divide faith groups.
He cited a pair of recent stabbings in Manhattan, where a suspect stabbed a Jewish man and an Asian man, shouting “Allahu akbar” and was charged with hate crimes. Both victims survived, but the attacks drew condemnation from Jewish and Asian‑American leaders, leading Netanyahu to describe the situation as frightening for Jewish New Yorkers.
The mayor’s stance stems from a campaign centerpiece in which he labeled Netanyahu a “war criminal” over alleged war crimes in Gaza. Israel’s government rejects the ICC accusations as “bogus.”
Since the Hamas‑led June 2023 attack, Israel has incurred over 73,000 casualties in Gaza, including more than 21,000 children, according to the territory’s health ministry.
Mamandani said, “Benjamin Netanyahu is not welcome in New York City,” and stressed that the city cannot enforce the ICC warrant without federal cooperation.
