Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has affirmed his commitment to visit New York City in September for the United Nations General Assembly, asserting that he will not be deterred by calls for his arrest. The remarks come amid criticism from New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who has repeatedly urged for Netanyahu's apprehension.
Netanyahu stated during an interview with "Hannity" that he intends to visit the city and "speak the truth." He criticized Mamdani's rhetoric, accusing the mayor of inciting hate and attempting to turn New Yorkers against the city's Jewish population. "What are we in the 1930s? What is this? So much hate, so many lies," Netanyahu said.
Mamdani has been a vocal critic of Netanyahu, labeling him a "war criminal" and attributing alleged atrocities by Israeli forces in Gaza and Lebanon to him. The mayor has urged federal officials to act on an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant, though acknowledging that city officials lack the direct legal authority to make an arrest.
Netanyahu, in turn, has condemned the ICC, calling it a "corrupt, evil organization." He questioned why the ICC targets him and not Hamas, and warned that the court's actions could set a precedent for international bodies to classify U.S. officials and soldiers as war criminals.
During his interview, Netanyahu also discussed a recent meeting with former U.S. President Donald Trump, describing it as highly positive and emphasizing a "wall of granite" in the alliance between their nations. The leaders reportedly discussed shared goals regarding Iran and regional stability. "We don't want to see this fanatic regime in Tehran have nuclear weapons to threaten every American and to threaten the peace of the world, and to threaten the existence of Israel," Netanyahu stated, adding that achieving this goal could involve diplomatic or other means.