December 4, 2025 | 03:22 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, has affirmed his intention to visit New York despite the Mayor-elect, Zohran Mamdani, threatening to arrest him based on the International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant.
According to a report by Le Monde, in a virtual interview with the Dealbook forum hosted by The New York Times on Wednesday, December 3, Netanyahu said, "Yes, I'll come to New York." When asked whether he would speak with Mamdani, Netanyahu responded that, "If he changes his mind and says that we have the right to exist, that'll be a good opening for a conversation."
Mamdani's Stance on Israel
Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist who will be the first Muslim and South Asian descent mayor in New York, has repeatedly expressed support for Israel's right to exist. However, he refuses to state that Israel has the right to be a Jewish state. He argues that no country should have a "hierarchy of citizenship" based on religion or other factors.
As reported by NDTV, Mamdani has pledged to mobilize the New York Police to enforce the ICC arrest warrant against world leaders who are sought, including Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
ICC Accusations against Netanyahu
The ICC, based in The Hague, declared last year that Netanyahu is responsible for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Israel's attacks on Gaza following Hamas' attack on October 7, 2023. Israel has condemned the allegations. Israel, the United States, and Russia are among the countries that refuse to be members of the ICC.
During President Donald Trump's tenure, Washington went even further in defending Israel, including imposing sanctions on ICC judges and prosecutors. New York City is home to the largest Jewish community outside Israel, and it is also the headquarters of the United Nations.
Netanyahu regularly attends the UN General Assembly. According to the host country agreement, the United States should issue visas to official UN visitors. However, in September, the Trump administration refused entry to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
Read: Netanyahu Requests Forgiveness During His First Trial Appearance
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