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Netanyahu’s office said the mayor should “focus on fixing the damage his policies have caused New York” instead of attacking the leader of the Jewish state.
By United with Israel Satff
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office sharply criticized New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani after he suggested his administration is exploring whether it has the legal authority to arrest the Israeli leader if he visits New York for the UN General Assembly in September.
Speaking on “The Interview,” a New York Times podcast, Mamdani said he believes Netanyahu “belongs in The Hague” and confirmed his administration is consulting the city’s Law Department about whether the mayor can direct the NYPD to detain a visiting foreign leader based on the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant.
In response, the Prime Minister’s Office dismissed the ICC as a “kangaroo court” with no jurisdiction over either Israel or the United States. It said the warrant against Netanyahu was issued by former ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan in an attempt to divert attention from sexual misconduct allegations against him.
The statement also defended Israel’s conduct in the war against Hamas, saying the country has taken unprecedented measures to minimize civilian casualties while fighting “a genocidal terrorist organization” that uses civilians as human shields.
Turning directly to Mamdani, Netanyahu’s office said the mayor should “focus on fixing the damage his policies have caused New York” instead of attacking “the leader of the Jewish state and the only democracy in the Middle East.”
The Prime Minister’s Office:
The ICC is a kangaroo court that has no jurisdiction over Americans or Israelis. Its bogus arrest warrant against Prime Minister Netanyahu was issued by a disgraced former ICC Prosecutor, Karim Khan, a few days before allegations of sexual misconduct…
— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) July 19, 2026
Meanwhile, the New York Post reported that Republican New York City Councilwoman Inna Vernikov sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio urging the federal government to intervene. Vernikov argued that Mamdani’s threat to arrest Netanyahu “must bear consequences” and asked the State Department to determine whether such an action would violate U.S. law and warrant federal prosecution.
The proposal has drawn widespread criticism from U.S. and Israeli officials, who argue that any attempt by New York City to arrest a visiting foreign head of government would be legally impossible because the United States is not a party to the ICC and federal law and diplomatic immunity supersede any local authority.
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