Netanyahu brushes off arrest calls ahead of UN General Assembly

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has confirmed that he intends to attend the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York this September, dismissing recent calls for his arrest made by New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani, AzerNEWS reports.

Speaking to Fox News on Sunday, Netanyahu said he was not concerned about the prospect of traveling to the United States despite the ongoing legal and political controversy.

“I'm not concerned, and I certainly intend to do so,” Netanyahu said when asked about attending the annual UN gathering.

The Israeli leader noted that he has participated in the UN General Assembly almost every year during his time in office, except when security circumstances prevented him from attending.

His comments come after Mamdani described Netanyahu as a "war criminal" and said he would not be welcome in New York. Mamdani has also called on Washington to recognize the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and enforce the court's arrest warrants against the Israeli prime minister.

US President Donald Trump, however, has publicly pledged that Netanyahu "will not be arrested" during any visit to the United States.

The ICC issued arrest warrants in November 2024 for Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, alleging war crimes and crimes against humanity in connection with the conflict in Gaza. Israel rejects the allegations and does not recognize the court's jurisdiction over its nationals. The United States is also not a party to the Rome Statute that established the ICC.