Netanyahu’s Upcoming Visit to New York Amid Controversy

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently shared in an interview that he plans to attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York this September. This decision comes despite New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani’s public declaration that Netanyahu is “not welcome” in the city.

Mamdani released a social media video last week, stating he was retracting his prior commitment made during his campaign to pursue arresting Netanyahu for “war crimes.” He attributed his inability to take legal action to a lack of jurisdiction over a foreign leader concerning an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant, a court the U.S. is not part of. Instead, he emphasized that Netanyahu was unwelcome for unspecified reasons.

During his current brief stay in the U.S., Netanyahu is expected to meet President Donald Trump in Washington, D.C., and also attend a memorial for the late Senator Lindsey Graham. He plans to return to Israel afterward. In a discussion on Fox News’s Sunday program, Netanyahu downplayed Mamdani’s remarks and reiterated his intent to attend the General Assembly, marking it as a significant annual event where leaders represent their nations’ views.

“Unless security issues arise—something I don’t anticipate—I’ll certainly be there,” he mentioned. He views his presence as essential to advocate for Israel and bolster the Israeli-American partnership from the U.N. platform.

Mamdani, who became mayor in January, had pledged to push for Netanyahu’s arrest following military actions against jihadist groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah after the tragic attack on October 7, 2023. Critics around the world have decried Netanyahu’s military policies, arguing that the operations have harmed innocent civilians in Gaza rather than solely targeting militants.

The ICC had issued warrants against Netanyahu and several Hamas leaders in November 2024 over alleged war crimes. Netanyahu faced accusations of deliberately targeting civilians, among other charges. Recently, an ICC prosecutor involved in the case was dismissed over serious misconduct allegations.

In light of these developments, Mamdani acknowledged the legal limitations concerning the ICC’s warrant in his city. He stated, “My team examined every legal possibility regarding Netanyahu’s potential arrest here and found we lack the authority.” While he brought attention to the ICC’s standing against Netanyahu, he also stressed that it doesn’t grant him the power to detain the Prime Minister.

Mamdani pointed out, “There are crimes so grievous that they affect all of humanity.” He urged people to recognize the devastation attributed to Netanyahu and echoed the sentiment that he should face justice. Despite lacking the means to enforce this perspective legally, Mamdani underscored that Netanyahu remains unwelcome in New York.

Historically, Netanyahu has attended the General Assembly without incident. In his last address in September 2025, he strongly defended Israel’s military actions against terrorism, while facing criticism from representatives of various Islamic nations. He asserted that Israel wouldn’t accept any terrorism cockpit and expressed gratitude toward Trump for supporting Israel’s right to self-defense, critiquing the U.N. for not backing Israel in its battle against anti-Semitic violence.