New york, 4 December (H.S.): Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared on Wednesday his intention to visit New York despite threats from mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani to enforce an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant against him. Netanyahu expressed willingness to engage in dialogue should Mamdani acknowledge Israel's right to exist.Mamdani, New York's first Muslim and South Asian mayor, supports Israel’s right to exist but opposes the concept of Israel as a Jewish state, criticizing any hierarchy of citizenship based on religion.

He has vowed to deploy local law enforcement to arrest leaders wanted by the ICC, including Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin.Israel, the US, and Russia have all rejected ICC jurisdiction, and an actual arrest is considered unlikely due to federal immigration controls and the strong US defense of Israel’s political stance.

New York's status as the UN headquarters adds diplomatic complexity to the situation, especially with recent refusals of visas to Palestinian leaders.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar