Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directly confronted the escalating controversy regarding threats of arrest during an interview at the New York Times DealBook Summit, declaring that he “of course” would visit New York City despite Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s threat to have him detained. Netanyahu, appearing via satellite from Israel, issued his response after NYT columnist Andrew Ross Sorkin asked, “Would you come to New York, given what the mayor has said about arresting you?”
“Yes, of course I will,” Netanyahu answered. When Sorkin pressed whether he intended to test Mamdani’s vow, the prime minister urged him to “wait and see,” reiterating that he “will come to New York.”
Netanyahu also signaled he would speak with Mamdani if the incoming mayor adjusted his stance. He said that if Mamdani “changes his mind and says that [Israel] has the right to exist,” he would engage in conversation. Netanyahu then addressed accusations related to the Israel-Hamas conflict and the ICC warrant, defending Israel’s conduct. “No army has done what Israel has done to try to get civilians out of harm’s way,” he said, arguing that Hamas generates a “propaganda effect” by having “Hamas [shooting] civilians who try to leave [combat zones] in order to boost casualties.” He added, “We don’t carpet bomb, we don’t do Dresden, we don’t do any of that.”
Mamdani first issued his threat in a September New York Times interview, citing the ICC warrant. President Donald Trump, whose Israel-Gaza peace deal facilitated the current ceasefire, denounced the threat as “inappropriate” and vowed to intervene if an arrest attempt occurred. Trump later met with Mamdani in November but said the issue did not come up in their discussion.
