Netanyahu States Israeli Forces on Standby Should He Be Arrested Abroad
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that Israeli special forces are on standby to conduct an intervention to rescue him if he is arrested while abroad. This declaration was made as Netanyahu faces the threat of arrest under warrants issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) regarding allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by Israel against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
Recently, New York City official Zohran Mamdani has called for Netanyahu’s arrest should he visit the United States. Mamdani explicitly labelled Netanyahu a ‘war criminal’ and urged the US federal government to enforce the ICC arrest warrants against the Israeli Prime Minister.
In an interview with Fox News presenter Sean Hannity, as reported by Middle East Monitor and The Independent on Saturday (1/8/2026), Netanyahu was asked whether he feared being forced to land in the US or other nations during an emergency, such as a ‘medical emergency’.
‘You travel abroad, and let’s hope it doesn’t happen, but you experience a medical emergency and must land, and you are about to land in a country that recognises the ICC. It would complicate the situation. Do you worry about that?’ Hannity asked Netanyahu.
‘Yes, I think about it. You know, we have special forces around here. I personally served there for five years,’ the Israeli Prime Minister replied.
Hannity responded by describing the Israeli military as ‘very tough’, to which Netanyahu added: ‘Yes, let’s give them a new task.’
Netanyahu’s remarks imply that Israeli special forces units could be tasked with rescuing him should he be apprehended while abroad. Netanyahu did not provide specific details on how such a rescue operation would be executed.
However, it is widely understood that any military operation conducted by one nation within the territory of another, without the consent of that nation’s authorities, would create significant issues under international law and could trigger serious diplomatic disputes.
Netanyahu’s comments emerge as media reports indicate that the ICC arrest warrants have complicated his international travel, necessitating careful consideration of destinations where the warrants could potentially be enforced. Under the Rome Statute, which serves as the foundation of the ICC, member states are generally required to cooperate with the court, including the execution of arrest warrants, although the enforcement of this obligation remains a subject of intense legal and political debate. In addition to Mamdani’s call in the US, several European governments have previously stated they would act in accordance with international legal obligations should Netanyahu enter their territory.