Israel's Permanent Representative to the UN Danny Danon harshly criticized New York Mayor Zahran Memdani's plan to arrest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In a statement on X, Danon claimed Memdani has failed to govern New York.
"Instead of focusing on his mayoral duties and combating the rising wave of antisemitism in his city, Memdani prefers to grab headlines by attacking Israel," Danon said, arguing that this move against Netanyahu would change nothing. The Israeli diplomat added, "Netanyahu will proudly address the UN General Assembly next September and make Israel's truth heard around the world."
Memdani's Arrest Plan and Legal Hurdles in US Law
Mayor Memdani had revealed in an interview with The New York Times that the city's law department was actively examining whether Netanyahu could be arrested if he came to New York. "Netanyahu belongs in The Hague. He is a war criminal indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC)," Memdani said.
This statement turned Memdani's campaign promise from the 2025 mayoral race to have Netanyahu arrested into a legal process. However, the plan faces serious legal obstacles. Since the US is not a party to the Rome Statute that established the ICC, the enforceability of the court's arrest warrant in New York remains uncertain.
ICC Arrest Warrant and Political Background
The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu on November 21, 2024, over war crimes and crimes against humanity committed against Palestinians in Gaza. Israel rejects the court's jurisdiction and the charges. Netanyahu, despite Memdani's threat, has said he will visit New York and accused the mayor of supporting Hamas.
Memdani won the November 2025 election to become New York's first Muslim and first South Asian mayor. He took office in January 2026 and, despite the criticism, reiterated that he rejects antisemitism and pledged to protect the city's Jewish community.
According to the latest figures released by the Palestinian Health Ministry on Saturday, Israel's attacks on the Gaza Strip since October 8, 2023, have killed 73,269 people and wounded 173,811. Ninety percent of civilian infrastructure has been rendered unusable.
