Netanyahu’s Office Slams NYC Mayor Mamdani Over ICC Arrest Threat

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office has sharply criticized New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, accusing him of using “political theater” to distract from his domestic policy failures after the mayor called the Israeli leader a “war criminal” and threatened to arrest him.

The dispute erupted after Mamdani, a Democrat, announced that his administration was exploring legal avenues to enforce an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant against Netanyahu during his anticipated visit to New York for the U.N. General Assembly in September.

On Sunday, Netanyahu’s office responded on the social media platform X, labeling the ICC a “kangaroo court” that lacks jurisdiction over either American or Israeli citizens. The office accused Mamdani of attempting to divert public attention from local issues, drawing a parallel to former ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan.

“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 against him became public,” the office wrote, adding that Mamdani is following “the same playbook.”

Under international law and the U.S. Constitution, foreign policy and the reception of foreign heads of state fall strictly under federal jurisdiction. The United States is not a party to the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC, and federal law historically prohibits domestic law enforcement from executing ICC warrants. Additionally, foreign leaders visiting the United Nations headquarters in New York generally enjoy diplomatic immunity under the UN Headquarters Agreement of 1947.

In an exclusive statement to Nile1, legal and foreign policy analysts emphasized that the Mayor’s threats represent a symbolic gesture rather than a viable legal action. Analysts pointed out that municipal police forces have no authority to override federal diplomatic protocols, and any attempt to detain a visiting head of state would trigger an immediate constitutional crisis and violate long-standing international treaties governing diplomatic immunity.

Former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo dismissed Mamdani’s remarks during an interview with Fox News, characterizing them as empty posturing. “This is a communist, antisemitic mayor trying to make news for his own audience,” Pompeo said. “There’s nothing more than that. This is no chance he’s going to arrest Prime Minister Netanyahu when he comes to New York in September for the U.N. General Assembly. It’s just simply not going to happen, and he knows it.”

The mayor’s stance also drew sharp criticism from fellow Democrats, including former New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who condemned the remarks on X. “This isn’t a college protest,” Adams wrote. “This is the City of New York.” He warned that the threat could endanger Americans serving abroad, adding, “Threatening to arrest the democratically elected leader of one of America’s closest allies during U.N. General Assembly week isn’t bold. It’s reckless.” Adams concluded, “Reckless political theater can have very real-world costs.”

Senator John Fetterman (D-Pa.) also criticized Mamdani, calling him a “clown” and telling him to “sit down.” Fetterman stated, “He has no way to do that, of course. Obviously, America is not even part of that corrupt court. And so he’s just a clown to even say that. So he won’t try that. Just sit down and focus on other the problems that they have in New York. That’s really not your purview. You and I know that. Sit down.”

Netanyahu’s office reiterated that Israel would ignore the ICC’s actions as it continues military operations in Gaza against Hamas, which it described as “a genocidal terrorist organization.” The office defended its military conduct, stating, “Under Prime Minister Netanyahu’s leadership, Israel has taken unprecedented wartime measures to minimize harm to civilians while confronting Hamas, a genocidal terrorist organization that uses Palestinians as human shields and deliberately targets innocent Israeli civilians.”

The diplomatic row comes amid reports that Netanyahu is nearing a trip to the White House to meet with President Donald Trump.