【By Observer Net, Qi Qian】In December last year, New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani publicly stated that if elected mayor, he would arrest Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu during his visit to New York in accordance with the International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant against him.
With Netanyahu's visit to the U.S., this topic has resurfaced. Mamdani won the Democratic primary last month.
According to Fox News and The Times of Israel, on the evening of July 7, before meeting with President Trump for dinner, Netanyahu was asked by reporters whether he was worried about being arrested in New York. To this, Netanyahu said, "I am not worried at all."
When asked whether he would visit New York next year, Netanyahu gave a positive answer. "I will go with President Trump, we'll see."
The report mentioned that due to the United Nations General Assembly's annual high-level meeting held every September, and since Netanyahu usually attends to speak, his trip to the New York UN headquarters is likely to take place before next year. Although Mamdani won the Democratic primary, the formal election will be held in November.
"I'll get him out," Trump interjected while Netanyahu was speaking.
Netanyahu then said, "The world is already crazy enough, but it seems endless. This kind of statement is shocking, and from many perspectives, it's absurd and not worth taking seriously."
Trump again interjected, saying, "The mayor's position is not yet determined," and criticized Mamdani, "He once made extreme remarks against Jews."
Although acknowledging that Mamdani might be elected, Trump warned, "Everything needs the support of the White House. He needs the White House funds, a lot of them. He will follow the rules. He better do so, otherwise there will be big trouble."
Additionally, when talking about the Gaza issue, Netanyahu said that the real key to solving it is "whether a two-state solution can be established in Gaza that does not pose a threat to Israel's survival." He claimed, "We will not provide the enemy with another platform to destroy Israel... We must ensure that security sovereignty remains in our hands at all times. Some people may say this isn't a full state status, but we don't care."
Democratic New York City mayoral candidate Mamdani, Visual China
Mamdani was born in Uganda and moved to New York with his family at the age of seven. His parents are both Indian. He is a member of the "Democratic Socialists of America" (DSA) organization and has been a New York State legislator since 2021. In the Democratic primary for the New York City mayor on June 24, Mamdani unexpectedly defeated former New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo, becoming the Democratic Party's endorsed candidate for New York City mayor.
Mamdani's agenda includes free city bus services, stable apartment rents, and opening supermarkets owned by the city government. He also promised to use the power of the New York City mayor to block the Trump administration's actions against illegal immigrants, "stopping masked ICE agents from deporting our neighbors."
Regarding this, Trump had previously threatened that if Mamdani hindered ICE's efforts to combat illegal immigration, he would be arrested.
Last December, Mamdani had publicly stated that if elected mayor, he would arrest Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu during his visit to New York in accordance with the ICC warrant against him. He had said at the time that although the United States is not a party to the Rome Statute, "the values of New York City align with international law, and it's time for our actions to also conform to international law."
In the primary campaign this June, Mamdani reiterated that he believed New York City "should abide by international law." He has consistently refused to comment on whether he would visit Israel if elected, only stating that he believes his past support for "boycott Israel activities" would prevent him from entering the country.
The Times of Israel reported that this could mark the end of a 75-year tradition. Since Israel's establishment in 1948, every elected mayor of New York has visited Israel to express respect for the city's major Jewish community.
On the evening of the banquet, Netanyahu presented a Nobel Peace Prize nomination letter to Trump, screenshot from video
That day, Trump met with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu at the White House, marking the latter's third visit to the White House this year. The two discussed issues such as the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and Iran.
According to Reuters, the U.S.-Israeli leaders and their senior advisors held a private dinner in the White House Blue Room instead of the traditional meeting in the Oval Office where foreign leaders are usually received. Before the dinner began, Netanyahu presented Trump with a "big gift"—a letter nominating him for the Nobel Peace Prize.
"While we're speaking, he is creating peace in one country after another, one region after another," Netanyahu said as he handed the letter to Trump, praising, "So, Mr. President, I'm presenting this letter to you. It's a letter I submitted to the Nobel Committee, nominating you for the Peace Prize. It's well-deserved, you deserve it."
Trump seemed moved, replying, "Thank you very much, I didn't know before, wow. Especially from you, it means a lot. Thank you very much, Bibi (a nickname for Netanyahu)."
This article is exclusive to Observer Net. Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited.
Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7524653619348210202/
Statement: The article represents the views of the author. Please express your opinion by clicking the [Up/Down] buttons below.