Netanyahu Defiant on ICC Arrest Warrant Ahead of New York Visit

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that he is not afraid of being arrested as a suspected war criminal in New York, and that special forces are on standby if such an attempt were made. This comes after New York City’s mayor, Zohran Mamdani, called on the federal government to enforce an arrest warrant issued against Netanyahu by the International Criminal Court in 2024. The arrest warrant, which was issued in November 2024, accuses Netanyahu of being responsible for war crimes, including starvation as a method of warfare and intentionally directing an attack against the civilian population in Gaza.

He is also accused of crimes against humanity, including murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts from at least October 2023 until at least May 2024. Netanyahu denies the claims and has called them antisemitic. In an interview with Sean Hannity for Fox News, Netanyahu was asked if he feared landing in the US in a situation such as a medical emergency.

Netanyahu responded that he thinks about it, but has special forces around him, referencing his five years of service. When Hannity noted that the Israeli military is pretty tough, Netanyahu suggested giving them a new task. Netanyahu has no plans to cancel an impending trip to New York, where he plans to speak the truth in front of what he calls a hate-spewing elected official.

He accused Mayor Mamdani of pitting one group of New Yorkers against the others and turning them against New York Jews. Mayor Mamdani has called for Netanyahu’s arrest, stating that he believes the prime minister belongs in The Hague. However, former US President Donald Trump has said that Netanyahu will not be arrested if he lands in the US.

Trump wrote in a Truth Social post that Netanyahu is fighting against the Islamic Republic of Iran, which has killed innocent protestors and American soldiers, and that the people who led Iran into this situation should be arrested instead. Netanyahu’s visit to New York is likely to be closely watched, given the tensions surrounding his potential arrest.