Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to deliver remarks at the United Nations General Assembly later this month, a visit that comes after New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani publicly called for his arrest. Israel's U.N. envoy, Ambassador Danny Danon, stated that Netanyahu's 24-hour trip is essential given the circumstances.
Danon characterized Mayor Mamdani's call for Netanyahu's arrest as politically motivated. While Mamdani's office did not immediately respond to requests for comment, he had previously referred to the prime minister as a "war criminal." The mayor's office later withdrew the arrest call, acknowledging that New York City lacks the authority to execute such an order. Danon asserted that "it became very trendy to do politics by blaming Israel."
Mamdani's stance is informed by an arrest warrant issued in November 2024 by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Netanyahu and another Israeli official for alleged crimes against humanity. The ICC warrant cited reasons to believe that Netanyahu used "starvation as a weapon of warfare" by restricting humanitarian aid and intentionally targeting civilians during the campaign against Hamas, allegations that Israel disputes.
Although New York City cannot enforce an ICC warrant, Mayor Mamdani has encouraged the U.S. federal government to do so. The U.S. and Israel are not signatories to the Rome Statute that established the ICC, and the Trump administration has previously imposed sanctions on ICC staff.
Netanyahu is slated to arrive in New York late on September 23, address the U.N. General Assembly on the afternoon of September 24, and depart for Israel that same night, according to Danon. The ambassador noted that the visit coincides with Jewish holidays and an ongoing election campaign in Israel, during which Netanyahu is seeking to retain his position as prime minister.
Danon also anticipates that protests against Netanyahu during the high-level U.N. meetings, scheduled for the week of September 22-28, could create disruptions in New York. He recalled that during Netanyahu's address at the U.N. General Assembly last year, a significant number of delegates walked out. Danon expects "something like another show" this year but expressed confidence in Netanyahu's ability to deliver his speech despite such attempts.
