NYC Mayor Calls Netanyahu "War Criminal" Ahead of UN Visit

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani reiterated his accusation that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is a "war criminal" and the "architect of a terrible genocide of the Palestinian people." Mamdani made the remarks in a CNN interview with Christiane Amanpour, just days before Netanyahu's scheduled visit to the city for the United Nations General Assembly.

Mamdani's comments come after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants in 2024 for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, citing alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity related to the war in Gaza. Israel rejects these accusations and disputes the ICC's jurisdiction.

During his mayoral campaign, Mamdani had pledged to ask the New York Police Department to arrest Netanyahu if he visited the city. He later acknowledged that the mayor of New York lacks the legal authority to enforce an ICC warrant, as the United States is not a member of the court. Nevertheless, Mamdani asserted that the international court's decisions should be respected, questioning who has the right to consider someone above the law if the ICC deems an arrest necessary.

Mamdani also mentioned meeting with the Mayor of The Hague, Jan van Zanen, to discuss the importance of the rule of law and leadership accountability. Netanyahu is slated to address the UN General Assembly on Thursday, with several protests planned in New York prior to his speech. Mamdani stated he would not participate in these demonstrations.