The Likud party, led by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has released a campaign advertisement featuring New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani alongside leaders from Iran and Hezbollah. The billboard, displayed in Jerusalem, depicts Mamdani alongside Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem. The advertisement carries the caption, "They want Netanyahu to lose, don't let them win," a message the Prime Minister later shared on social media.
The campaign follows a public disagreement between the two officials regarding an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant. In 2024, the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu on allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza, including the use of starvation as a method of warfare. Last month, Mayor Mamdani told The New York Times that Netanyahu is a "war criminal" who belongs in The Hague. While Mamdani initially suggested he was exploring ways to arrest the Prime Minister, he later clarified that the matter falls under federal jurisdiction.
In response to Mamdani's statements, Israeli officials have issued several rebukes. Netanyahu characterized the mayor's remarks as "hate speech," and Danny Danon, Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, accused Mamdani of antisemitism and supporting Hamas. U.S. President Donald Trump also addressed the situation on Truth Social, stating that Netanyahu would not be arrested while in the United States. Despite the legal warrant, Netanyahu conducted his eighth state visit to the U.S. during the current presidential term in July.
The scale of this legal situation involves the 124 member states of the ICC, which are technically obliged to enforce the 2024 arrest warrant if Netanyahu enters their territory. For the Prime Minister, the warrant and its subsequent use in political advertising occur as he prepares for the first Israeli elections since October 7, 2023. These elections, scheduled for October, will serve as a referendum on his leadership following a period of suspended political contests. The outcome will determine the direction of a government that currently includes a coalition of Likud and religious parties.
What happens next: The Israeli national elections are set to take place in October 2026. This vote will be the first test of Netanyahu’s premiership since the events of late 2023 and the subsequent postponement of the electoral cycle. While the ICC warrant remains active, the U.S. executive branch has stated it will not facilitate an arrest on American soil. The legal proceedings in The Hague regarding the allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity are ongoing, though Netanyahu continues to deny all charges, labeling them antisemitic.