Netanyahu: Mamdani's arrest threats are attempt to distract from failed NYC policies

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu derided recent comments from New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, in which he called Netanyahu a “war criminal” who “belongs in the Hague.” 

Prime Minister Netanyahu called the International Criminal Court in The Hague “a kangaroo court that has no jurisdiction over Americans or Israelis,” in a statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office. 

Mamdani, who took office in January, has repeatedly stated that he would seek to arrest Prime Minister Netanyahu if he came to New York City. 

In his recent interview on the New York Times podcast, Mamdani advocated trying Prime Minister Netanyahu before the International Criminal Court, noting he had already been charged there.

The arrest warrant against Netanyahu has been under renewed focus recently, due to the sexual misconduct charges being brought against the lead ICC prosecutor, Karim Khan. 

Reports from 2025 claimed that Khan pushed forward with the arrest warrants against Netanyahu and then Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, in order to distract from impending rape charges against himself, and to garner public support for the ICC case before the warrants were filed. 

Netanyahu referred to this in his statement, saying, “Its [the ICC] bogus arrest warrant against Prime Minister Netanyahu [that] was issued by a disgraced former ICC Prosecutor, Karim Khan, a few days before allegations of sexual misconduct against him became public. It was a clear attempt by Khan to divert public attention and seek protection from scrutiny.” 

The Prime Minister’s Office:

The ICC is a kangaroo court that has no jurisdiction over Americans or Israelis. Its 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…

— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) July 19, 2026

Netanyahu’s office stated that Mamdani’s office should focus on issues in its own jurisdiction, rather than focusing on international concerns. 

“Instead of backing Khan's criminal behaviour, Mr. Mamdani should focus on fixing the damage his policies have caused New York,” Netanyahu’s statement said. 

The prime minister's office said Mamdani appears to be following the example of Khan, using the arrest of Netanyahu to distract from domestic problems. 

“Like Karim Khan, Mamdani appears interested in diverting public attention from his follies and attacking the leader of the Jewish state and the only democracy in the Middle East,” the statement concluded. 

Netanyahu’s opinion was echoed by local New York politicians. Brooklyn City Councilwoman Inna Vernikov said Mamdani should focus on the issues in New York City instead of “meddling in foreign affairs.” 

“Mamdani should concern himself with the homeless epidemic, the affordability crisis and the floods on New York City’s roads rather than illegally meddling in foreign affairs to befriend more terrorists and attempt to arrest our friends,” Vernikov told the New York Post following the release of the Mamdani interview on the New York Times podcast. 

“He’s the mayor of New York City, not the secretary general of the United Nations,” she added. 

Vernikov sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, asking him to intervene, saying that Mamdani’s statements indicate that he “does not recognize the jurisdiction of the United States of America and will do anything he can to subvert our Constitutional Republic.” 

I wrote to @SecRubio with a request that @ZohranKMamdani’s threats to arrest @netanyahu be investigated by the State Department and that the Dept. issue an opinion on whether @NYCMayor can be prosecuted/criminal action taken against him for attempting to arrest a sitting foreign… pic.twitter.com/tpKd3ShgAe

— Councilwoman Inna Vernikov (@InnaVernikov) July 20, 2026

“I respectfully request that the State Department issue a stern warning and an opinion as to whether or not such an act would violate U.S. law resulting in a prosecution and/or criminal action taken by the federal government against Mayor Mamdani,” Vernikov asked. 

Former New York City Mayor Eric Adams also slammed Mamdani’s comments. 

“Threatening to arrest the democratically elected leader of one of America’s closest allies during UN General Assembly week isn’t bold. It’s reckless,’’ Adams said. 

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz called Mamdani’s threats “pure political theater.” 

Mayor Mamdani: here’s why your threat to arrest PM Netanyahu’s in NYC during UNGA is not going to happen:
1. The U.S. is not party to the Rome Statute that underlies the ICC,
2. The UN Headquarters Agreement grants diplomatic protections to visiting heads of gov’t,
3.…

— Ambassador Mike Waltz (@michaelgwaltz) July 18, 2026

Waltz noted that the U.S. is not a party to the Rome Statute, which gave the ICC its international authority over member states. He also noted that according to international law, visiting diplomats have diplomatic immunity.