Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani of “fomenting hate” after the mayor called for Netanyahu’s arrest over International Criminal Court war crimes charges related to Israel’s military operations in Gaza. Netanyahu stated he plans to attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York this fall.
Mamdani had previously called for Netanyahu to be arrested if he visited the city, citing an ICC warrant. However, the mayor later walked back the threat, acknowledging that he lacked the legal authority to arrest Netanyahu based on an ICC warrant, as the United States is not an ICC member state.
Netanyahu characterized the ICC’s charges against him as “bogus.” The dispute highlights tensions between Israeli leadership and some U.S. officials over international accountability mechanisms and the conduct of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
Sources
Featured photo by Ashwin Tanjore on Unsplash