A scandal has erupted in the American political sphere regarding the possible visit of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to New York. The trigger for the heated debate was the statement by the city's mayor, Zohran Mamdani, who said he does not rule out arresting the Israeli leader if he arrives. On July 20, Donald Trump reacted to these words, expressing categorical rejection of such an idea.
Trump's tough stance
The former US President published a statement on his social network, Truth Social, in which he clearly outlined his position. According to Trump, Netanyahu will not be arrested "under any circumstances, in any way, or under any conditions" while in the United States.
Trump justified his support by stating that the Israeli Prime Minister is fighting against the Islamic Republic of Iran. In his message, he accused Tehran of killing 52,000 innocent demonstrators, as well as the deaths of American soldiers and other people over the past 47 years.
In Trump's opinion, the responsibility for the escalation of the conflict lies not with Netanyahu, but with the forces that dragged Iran into an "unprecedented spiral of death and destruction." Trump also pointed out that previous US presidents should have dealt with this situation many years ago.
Position of the New York Mayor and legal complexities
Zohran Mamdani, the Mayor of New York, previously stated that he is considering the possibility of detaining Netanyahu if he arrives in the city for the UN General Assembly in September. Mamdani called the Israeli Prime Minister a war criminal who should appear before the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.
At the same time, the mayor admitted that it is not yet entirely clear whether he has the legal authority to order the New York Police Department to detain the leader of a foreign state. In connection with this, city authorities have begun active consultations with the legal department.
"I believe that when charges are brought against someone based on an International Criminal Court warrant, it should be taken seriously — whether it is Benjamin Netanyahu, Vladimir Putin, or anyone else," Mamdani emphasized.
Legal context and ICC warrant
The International Criminal Court previously issued an arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing him of war crimes and crimes against humanity during the conflict in the Gaza Strip. According to the version of the pre-trial chamber, the Israeli Prime Minister may have "intentionally and knowingly deprived the civilian population of Gaza of items necessary for survival," including water, medicine, and food.
The ICC warrant obliges states that are parties to the Rome Statute to detain the Israeli Prime Minister in the event of his appearance on their territory. However, the US is not a signatory to the Rome Statute, which significantly complicates the legal mechanism for implementing this decision on US territory.
Additional diplomatic steps
In addition to the dispute over the arrest, other aspects of regional security are being discussed in Washington. During a phone call, Donald Trump appealed to Benjamin Netanyahu with a call to begin the withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern areas of Syria and Lebanon. The US administration believes that further military presence in these regions only contributes to the growth of tension in the Middle East.
