The dispute over Netanyahu’s planned UN visit has intensified after Trump rejected calls for any arrest in the United States.
President Donald Trump has said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will not face arrest during his planned visit to New York for the United Nations General Assembly in September. His comments came after New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said city officials were discussing the legal implications of Netanyahu’s visit.
KEY DETAILS
Trump wrote on Truth Social that Netanyahu “will not be arrested, in any way, shape, or form” while in the United States. He defended the Israeli leader, saying Netanyahu is fighting against Iran and argued that Iranian leaders should be held accountable instead.
Mamdani recently told The New York Times’ The Interview podcast that he believes Netanyahu belongs in The Hague, calling him a war criminal charged by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu on November 21, 2024. The court alleges he is responsible for war crimes, including using starvation as a method of warfare, targeting civilians in Gaza, and crimes against humanity between October 8, 2023, and May 20, 2024. The case stems from Israel’s war in Gaza following Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.
Netanyahu’s office rejected both the ICC warrant and Mamdani’s comments, calling the ICC a court without jurisdiction over Israel or the United States.
WHY IT MATTERS
The debate highlights growing tensions over international law, U.S. politics, and the diplomatic challenges surrounding Netanyahu’s upcoming visit to the UN.
Attention now turns to Netanyahu’s September trip to New York and whether the controversy will influence diplomatic discussions during the UN General Assembly.
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Source: CNBC
Time: 12:15 PM EEST
