Netanyahu: Mamdani trying to distract from failed policies by seeking to arrest me

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office responded to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's stated intent to explore arresting the Israeli leader if he visits New York. Netanyahu's office called the International Criminal Court (ICC) a "kangaroo court that has no jurisdiction over Americans or Israelis" and accused Mamdani of trying to distract from his own "failed policies." The statement also claimed the ICC's "bogus arrest warrant against Prime Minister Netanyahu was issued by a disgraced former ICC prosecutor, Karim Khan, a few days before allegations of sexual misconduct against him became public."

• Mamdani has cited the ICC war crimes arrest warrant as grounds for arrest, but the court lacks jurisdiction in the US, and federal law prohibits local governments from cooperating with it or obstructing foreign officials.
• New York Governor Kathy Hochul and legal experts have stated that the mayor lacks the authority to make such an arrest.
• Democratic Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman called Mamdani a "clown" for the suggestion, emphasizing that "America's not even part of that corrupt court."
• Netanyahu is expected to attend the annual UN General Assembly in September in New York, which has the largest Jewish population outside Israel.