Prime Minister of the Israeli occupation Benjamin Netanyahu launched a sharp attack, in an interview with The New York Times’ DealBook Forum, targeting New York’s mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani following Mamdani’s remarks pledging to arrest Netanyahu in compliance with the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant.
Despite the widespread controversy stirred by Mamdani’s comments, Netanyahu affirmed that he still intends to visit the city, stating with confidence: “Of course I will come to New York”.
Netanyahu: I Requested a Pardon from Herzog
In the interview, broadcast on Wednesday evening, Netanyahu spoke about his request for a presidential pardon from Israeli President Isaac Herzog, describing the pardon as a necessary step “for Israel and its future”. He added:
“It is easier to do what is required when we are not forced to waste eight hours three times a week on this nonsense.”
Netanyahu responded forcefully to Mamdani’s pledge to uphold the ICC warrant and order Netanyahu’s arrest upon entering New York. Netanyahu said only: “I did not like his remarks… of course I will come to New York.”
He accused Mamdani of adopting “extreme” positions toward the occupation, stating: “If he changes his view and acknowledges our right to exist, that would be a good start for dialogue.”
Netanyahu added that the mayor-elect’s statements aligned with what he described as a “hostile progressive wave” seeking to “exploit the war on Gaza to promote anti-Israel rhetoric inside the United States”.
However, Mamdani had previously stated that he recognises the occupation’s right to exist, while opposing its definition as a “Jewish state”, arguing that he rejects any system built on a “citizenship hierarchy based on religion”.
There Was a Palestinian State… It Was Called Gaza
Netanyahu addressed the issue of the two-state solution, claiming that the previous experience in Gaza served as “evidence” that the concept cannot achieve peace. He said: “There was a Palestinian state called Gaza. We did not get peace, but the largest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust.”
He added that the path to peace “runs through Gaza” after overthrowing Hamas. He asserted that reaching new peace agreements, even with distant Islamic countries, is contingent upon “being freed from this nonsense”, in reference to his legal troubles.
A “New Local Leadership” in Gaza
Netanyahu also claimed that new local Palestinian forces were emerging inside Gaza, “rebelling against Hamas” and confronting it. He said: “There are Palestinians in Gaza who are fighting Hamas now, saying enough tyranny. They do not want Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority, but to be masters of their own destiny.”
He presented these groups as a potential base for forming a new local leadership after the dismantling of Hamas governance.
On the regional front, Netanyahu said that Israeli military operations against Hezbollah had significantly weakened its capabilities, creating what he described as “the first opportunity for change in Lebanon in years”.
He stated: “We succeeded in greatly reducing Hezbollah’s capabilities, but change ultimately depends on the Lebanese people themselves.”
When asked how long he intends to remain in public life, Netanyahu said he does not think in terms of time but of “missions”, adding: “I am supported by the majority of the people… and I have the support of my wife Sara and my children.”
The International Criminal Court
Netanyahu’s remarks come amid Mamdani’s threats to enforce the ICC arrest warrants issued against both Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
However, the United States, like the Israeli occupation and Russia, is not a party to the Rome Statute. The Trump administration had previously imposed sanctions on ICC judges.
New York remains a pivotal city for Netanyahu. It hosts the largest Jewish community outside the occupation and is home to the United Nations headquarters, which he visits regularly to attend the General Assembly.
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