Court cases in two countries?
Netanyahu Promises to Visit NYC Despite Mamdani Arrest Threats
NYC City Councilwoman Irina Vernikov issued an official invitation to PM Netanyahu to visit the city on 1 January, Mayor-elect Mamdani's inauguration day. While he won't be there then, Nentanyahu promised to visit the city under the new regime.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has confirmed that he plans to visit New York City in the near future, dismissing campaign-era threats by mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani to have him arrested if he enters the city.
The statement follows a public exchange sparked weeks ago, when Brooklyn Councilwoman Inna Vernikov invited Netanyahu to New York for January 1, the day Mamdani is set to be sworn in as mayor. The invitation was widely viewed as a deliberate provocation after Mamdani, a democratic socialist, pledged during the campaign to order the New York Police Department to arrest Netanyahu over an International Criminal Court warrant related to Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza.
In a written response sent on official stationery, Netanyahu thanked Vernikov for what he called her “kind invitation,” but said he would not be able to attend on January 1. He added that he would be visiting New York “soon” and expressed interest in meeting her at that time. Netanyahu later reiterated publicly that he still intended to come to the city and was not deterred by the mayor-elect’s remarks.
Mamdani has argued that the ICC’s 2024 arrest warrants obligate local authorities to act. The United States does not recognize the court’s jurisdiction, and legal experts have repeatedly noted that a New York City mayor has no authority to enforce international arrest warrants against a sitting foreign leader. Federal law enforcement, not municipal police, handles such matters.
Vernikov rejected Mamdani’s comments as irresponsible and misleading, accusing him of exploiting international legal rhetoric for political gain. She said Netanyahu’s visit would be welcomed by New York’s Jewish community, particularly amid a recent surge in antisemitic incidents across the city.
Netanyahu, speaking earlier this month, said he was “not afraid” of traveling to New York and suggested that any meaningful dialogue with the incoming mayor would require a clear acknowledgment of Israel’s legitimacy.
New York, home to the largest Jewish population outside Israel and the headquarters of the United Nations, has long been a regular stop for Israeli prime ministers. Despite the political noise, officials on both sides have indicated there is no realistic scenario in which Netanyahu would face arrest during a future visit.