Tensions have escalated between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, with Netanyahu declaring that he will travel to New York despite Mamdani’s opposition to his visit.

Mamdani has previously taken a strong stance against Netanyahu. During his election campaign and afterward, he said that if the Israeli prime minister traveled to New York, he would seek to enforce the arrest warrant issued against Netanyahu by the International Criminal Court (ICC). Mamdani has also referred to Netanyahu as a “war criminal” and said he believes the Israeli prime minister should face trial in The Hague.

More recently, however, Mamdani acknowledged that the New York City mayor’s office does not have independent legal authority to enforce an ICC arrest warrant. He has called on the U.S. federal government to enforce the warrant if Netanyahu enters the United States.

In response to Mamdani’s position, Netanyahu said he would not be deterred from traveling to New York, declaring: “I will come to New York.” He is expected to travel to the city in September to attend the United Nations General Assembly.

The verbal confrontation has once again highlighted deep political differences between Mamdani and the Israeli government and could become a major political issue in New York and across the United States ahead of Netanyahu’s expected visit.