Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will make a 24-hour visit to New York to address the United Nations General Assembly on September 24, despite calls for his arrest over the war in Gaza. The trip, announced by Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon, is scheduled to begin late on September 23, with Netanyahu returning to Israel the same night.
Danon stated there was “no option” but for Netanyahu to attend, emphasizing the importance of his participation during the high-level U.N. meetings. The visit coincides with the Jewish holidays and Israel’s upcoming October election, during which Netanyahu is seeking to remain in office.
The announcement follows calls by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani for Netanyahu’s arrest if he entered the city. Mamdani, who previously described Netanyahu as a “war criminal”, later acknowledged that New York City has no legal authority to enforce an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant. The ICC issued the warrant in November 2024, accusing Netanyahu and another Israeli official of crimes against humanity, including allegations of using starvation as a weapon of warfare by restricting humanitarian aid and targeting civilians in Gaza. Israel has denied these charges.
Danon criticized Mamdani’s statements as politically motivated, arguing that criticism of Israel had become a “convenient political tool”. He dismissed the calls for arrest as exploitative, stating that protests against Netanyahu were likely to “create more chaos” on New York streets during the U.N. gathering, which runs from September 22 to 28. Despite potential demonstrations, Danon expressed confidence that Netanyahu would not be deterred from attending.
The U.S. and Israel are not members of the ICC, and the Trump administration has imposed sanctions on ICC staffers in an effort to dismantle the tribunal. While Mamdani encouraged the federal government to enforce the warrant, the U.S. has not indicated any intention to do so. Netanyahu has repeatedly stated his intention to travel to New York regardless of the controversy surrounding his visit.
The U.N. General Assembly’s high-level meetings bring together leaders from the 193 member nations, making Netanyahu’s participation a significant diplomatic event amid ongoing international scrutiny of the Gaza conflict.