Netanyahu vows to go to New York City despite ICC arrest warrant, Mamdani

What the report says

Al Jazeera reported on July 26, 2026, that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he still plans to travel to New York City to address the United Nations, despite an International Criminal Court arrest warrant and objections from New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Speaking on Fox News, Netanyahu said he intended to use the UN podium to defend Israel and the US-Israel alliance.

The dispute centers on Mamdani’s criticism of Israel and his support for Palestinian rights. According to Al Jazeera, Mamdani had said during his campaign that Netanyahu should be arrested if he came to the United States, though he later acknowledged that New York City itself does not have the authority to carry out such an arrest. Netanyahu accused Mamdani of encouraging hostility among New Yorkers and also made claims linking Mamdani and his family to celebration of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack; Al Jazeera described those claims as false and noted that Mamdani has called the Hamas attack a horrific war crime.

The ICC issued warrants in November 2024 for Netanyahu and former Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. The report also cited polling suggesting divided or worsening US public attitudes toward Netanyahu and Israel’s actions in Gaza, including surveys from AP-NORC and YouGov. The episode highlights the widening political clash in the US over Israel, Gaza, Palestinian rights and the limits of local authority in responding to international arrest warrants.