Netanyahu slams NYC mayor over potential arrest threat

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has sharply criticized New York City Mayor Eric Adams, accusing the mayor of attempting to distract from his own shortcomings by targeting the leader of the "Jewish state and the only democracy in the Middle East." The statement from Netanyahu's office came after reports that Adams is exploring the possibility of ordering Netanyahu's arrest should he attend the UN General Assembly in September.

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Mamdani seems interested in diverting public attention from his mistakes and attacking the leader of the Jewish state and the only democracy in the Middle East.

Netanyahu's office stated that Adams "seems interested in diverting public attention from his mistakes and attacking the leader of the Jewish state." They suggested the mayor should instead "focus on repairing the damage his policies have caused to New York."

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Mamdani should focus on repairing the damage his policies have caused to New York.

Earlier, Netanyahu had dismissed the threat of arrest, accusing Adams of supporting Hamas. Adams, however, indicated he is in active discussions with the city's legal department about his authority to have the NYPD detain Netanyahu. The mayor stated that Netanyahu's place is in "The Hague," referring to the International Criminal Court, and called him a "war criminal accused by the International Criminal Court."

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I think Prime Minister Netanyahu's place is in The Hague.

Adams clarified that any action would be in accordance with New York City law, not an attempt to create new legal precedents. He had previously stated during his campaign that he would order the NYPD to arrest Netanyahu.

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He is a war criminal who has been accused by the International Criminal Court.