Mayors of London and New York Declare Netanyahu Unwelcome

London Mayor Sadiq Khan declared that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is not welcome in the British capital, asserting that those accused of genocide must face justice. In an interview with Channel 4 News, Khan stated that genocide is being committed in Gaza and urged the British government to enforce the International Criminal Court's November 2024 arrest warrant for war crimes and crimes against humanity should Netanyahu visit. This represents a shift in tone from May 2025, when Khan declined to characterize the situation in Gaza as genocide.

Similar sentiments were expressed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who also declared Netanyahu unwelcome. However, Mamdani later acknowledged that his administration lacks the independent legal authority to execute the ICC warrant, shifting responsibility to the federal government. This follows a 2025 campaign pledge by Mamdani to arrest Netanyahu, a move advisers had warned was legally dubious.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected the allegations, describing Mamdani's position as absurd and defending Israel as a democracy. The Israeli Embassy in the United Kingdom condemned Khan's remarks as spreading false genocide claims. While no visit to London is planned, Netanyahu is expected to visit Manhattan in September for the United Nations General Assembly. President Donald Trump has explicitly stated that Netanyahu will not be arrested during his visit to the United States, noting that the U.S. is not a member of the ICC.