Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed concerns that New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani could block his visit to the city, despite Mamdani’s public pledge to honor the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant issued over alleged war crimes in Gaza. Legal experts and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul emphasized that a city mayor has no authority to arrest a foreign head of government, and that the ICC has no jurisdiction in the United States. Speaking at the New York Times DealBook conference, Netanyahu insisted he would visit New York regardless of Mamdani’s comments.
Mamdani, a democratic socialist and outspoken critic of Israeli policies, has faced accusations of antisemitism but maintains he supports Israel’s existence as a state guaranteeing equal rights. He has said he would comply with ICC warrants for both Netanyahu and Vladimir Putin. Hochul, who endorsed Mamdani’s campaign despite major disagreements over Israel, distanced herself from his positions and reaffirmed that federal law protects foreign officials from detention. She also rejected Mamdani’s recent criticisms of certain pro-Israel actions and statements made by his spokesperson regarding a synagogue targeted during a protest.
Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal reported that ICC prosecutor Karim Khan expedited Netanyahu’s warrant after being accused of misconduct, raising questions about the process. Despite these controversies, Mamdani continues to frame his stance as support for international law, while state leaders reiterate that foreign-policy authority lies beyond municipal power.