Netanyahu Strongly Condemns New York Mayor's Arrest Threat Over ICC Charges

The Israeli Prime Minister's Office sharply criticized New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani following his statement about plans to arrest Benjamin Netanyahu if he attends the UN General Assembly in September. The office denounced the International Criminal Court as a "kangaroo court" lacking jurisdiction over Americans or Israelis. It also dismissed the arrest warrant against Netanyahu as "fake," issued by former prosecutor Karim Khan just days before sexual misconduct allegations against Khan became public, calling it a clear attempt to divert attention and evade criticism.

The Prime Minister's Office defended Netanyahu's leadership, stating Israel took unprecedented steps during wartime to minimize civilian harm, blaming Hamas for using Palestinians as human shields and deliberately targeting innocent Israeli civilians. The attack extended to Mamdani, accusing him of supporting Khan's criminal behavior and urging him to focus on fixing the damage his policies caused New York. The statement claimed Mamdani, like Khan, seeks to distract from his own failures by attacking Israel's leader and the region's only democracy.

Mamdani had told The New York Times he intends to pursue Netanyahu's arrest within the bounds of New York law if the Israeli leader visits the city. He called Netanyahu a war criminal wanted by the ICC, reflecting a widely held view due to Netanyahu's actions over many years.