Overview
- Benjamin Netanyahu informed NYC Councilwoman Inna Vernikov by letter that he cannot visit on Jan. 1 but plans to come to New York "soon."
- Inna Vernikov invited the Israeli prime minister for the day of mayor‑elect Zohran Mamdani’s inauguration after Mamdani campaigned on directing the NYPD to arrest him under an ICC warrant.
- News reports emphasize that the United States does not recognize the ICC’s jurisdiction, and federal authorities control visas and entry, not city officials.
- Legal commentary cited in the coverage says New York’s mayor lacks authority to detain a sitting foreign leader, making any arrest highly unlikely.
- Vernikov framed the prospective visit as support for the Jewish community given recent reported antisemitic incidents, and Mamdani has not commented on Netanyahu’s new letter.