Gideon Sa’ar Dismisses Mamdani’s Netanyahu Arrest Threat in New York Post Interview

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar shrugged off incoming New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s threat to arrest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he visits the city, calling the remark unserious in a Monday interview with The New York Post.

“I don’t want to enter into a legal debate with the elected mayor of New York,” Sa’ar said, “but I will only say or repeat what the prime minister had said himself he will come to New York.”

Sa’ar confirmed the threat had no influence on Netanyahu’s travel plans and laughed off the idea, which legal experts have said has no basis under U.S. law. Netanyahu, as a sitting head of government, enjoys immunity from arrest in the U.S., and local officials have no jurisdiction to act on international court warrants.

Despite Mamdani’s vocal criticism of Israel and inflammatory campaign rhetoric, Sa’ar said he still hopes for “constructive dialogue,” although he remained skeptical about that possibility.

The foreign minister also used the interview to criticize Hamas, which he said is failing to meet key conditions of the current U.S.-backed Gaza ceasefire deal. “I believe that if you read the statement that was given publicly this weekend, it doesn’t demonstrate that [they are] really committed to the peace plan and what it requires from them in the next stage,” Sa’ar said.

He added that while Israel will “give a fair chance” for Hamas to disarm as part of the plan, it reserves the right to act unilaterally if the group does not comply. “If not, we will have to do it ourselves,” he concluded. Share this article or subscribe to our newsletter for updates.