Trump Says Netanyahu ‘Will Not Be Arrested’ in US After Mamdani Remarks

US President Donald Trump said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would not be arrested in the United States, after New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani said the city was examining whether it had legal authority to detain him if he visits New York. US President Donald Trump said on Monday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would not be arrested while in the United States, responding to growing debate over whether New York authorities could detain him if he visits the city. In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said Netanyahu would not be arrested in the United States “under any circumstances.” Trump did not directly mention New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani in the post. He also praised Israel for what he described as its assistance to the United States during the conflict with Iran. Mamdani, who was elected mayor of New York after campaigning on a pledge to seek Netanyahu’s arrest if he entered the city, raised the issue in an interview with The New York Times published on Saturday. He said New York City’s legal department was examining what authority the city might have to take such action. “I believe that Prime Minister Netanyahu should be in The Hague. He is a war criminal who is being pursued by the International Criminal Court,” Mamdani said. The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu in November 2024, alleging war crimes and crimes against humanity linked to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. Israel rejects the court’s jurisdiction and has denied the allegations. The ICC’s arrest warrants do not automatically mean that local authorities in every country are required to detain individuals named by the court. The United States and Israel are not parties to the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC, and both reject the court’s jurisdiction in the case. Netanyahu’s potential travel to New York has particular significance because he regularly attends the annual United Nations General Assembly in September, raising the possibility of renewed debate over the warrant and his legal status. Israel’s Foreign Ministry criticised Mamdani’s remarks in a statement on Sunday, describing the ICC as a “kangaroo court” and calling the arrest warrant against Netanyahu “baseless.” The ministry also accused Mamdani of targeting Israel’s prime minister and attempting to divert attention from what it described as domestic political issues. The ICC, established in 2002, prosecutes individuals accused of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and, under certain conditions, the crime of aggression. The warrant against Netanyahu has become a major source of diplomatic and political tension. Supporters of the ICC say its warrants should be respected by member states, while Israel and its allies have challenged the court’s jurisdiction and rejected the allegations against Israeli officials. The post Trump Says Netanyahu ‘Will Not Be Arrested’ in US After Mamdani Remarks appeared first on Khaama Press.