Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on July 26, 2026, that he plans to travel to New York in September to speak at the United Nations, directly challenging New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's statement that the Israeli leader is "not welcome" in the city.

Speaking on Fox News' Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo, Netanyahu accused Mamdani of "fomenting hate" and called the war crimes charges against him "bogus." The Guardian

The conflict has been building since July 21, when Mamdani released a video message stating that "Benjamin Netanyahu is not welcome in New York City." The next day, July 22, Mamdani acknowledged that New York City does not have the legal power to arrest Netanyahu but said the federal government should do so. The Guardian

The International Criminal Court, or ICC, is a global court that charges individuals with war crimes and similar offenses. It issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former defense minister on November 21, 2024. Netanyahu rejected those charges during the Fox News interview. ICC prosecutor Karim Khan was removed from his post on July 24, 2026, two days before Netanyahu's appearance. The Guardian

Netanyahu also used the interview to frame Mamdani's stance as a failure of mayoral duty. "He's supposed to be the mayor of all New Yorkers," Netanyahu said. Fox News

The legal reality favors the Israeli leader. The United States generally grants immunity to visiting heads of state, meaning foreign leaders cannot be arrested while on U.S. soil for official visits. That legally prevents New York City from carrying out an ICC warrant against Netanyahu. Reuters Donald Trump reinforced that position on or about July 20, 2026, stating that Netanyahu would not be arrested if he visits the United States. Reuters

The broader context here involves three things happening at once: the ICC is in a period of upheaval after Khan's removal on July 24, the U.S. has signaled it will not help arrest a visiting allied leader, and New York City's mayor is making strong statements on foreign policy that he has no legal power to enforce but that carry real symbolic weight. Think of it like a city council member declaring that a foreign dignitary is banned from town. The statement gets attention, but the actual authority to act sits with higher levels of government.

The removal of Khan as ICC prosecutor adds another layer of uncertainty. The warrants against Netanyahu were issued while Khan was in charge, and his departure raises questions about where the court goes from here. However, the warrants themselves remain valid regardless of who holds the prosecutor's job.

In effect, Netanyahu's Fox News appearance was a declaration that he intends to show up in person and test all of this. If he does travel to New York in September, he will arrive in a city whose mayor has declared him unwelcome, under a federal government committed to shielding him from arrest, and facing an international court whose leadership has just gone through a sudden shake-up.