Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he still plans to travel to New York for the United Nations General Assembly in September, rejecting the idea that he should stay away because of repeated calls for his arrest.
The dispute centers on New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who has repeatedly argued that Netanyahu should be detained under an International Criminal Court warrant. Despite that pressure, Netanyahu has made clear that he does not intend to cancel his appearance at the annual UN gathering.
The planned trip sets up a political clash that reaches beyond City Hall, combining international diplomacy, legal controversy and the high-profile setting of the UN General Assembly. Netanyahu's stance signals that he wants to proceed with the visit even as criticism around the warrant continues.
With the September UN meeting approaching, attention is likely to remain on whether Netanyahu's New York visit moves forward as scheduled and how local officials respond to his presence. The issue has already drawn notice because it links a major global forum with a direct confrontation over international legal claims.
