NYC Mayor Adams Again Calls Netanyahu 'Architect of Palestinian Genocide'

New York City Mayor Eric Adams reiterated his strong condemnation of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling him a "war criminal" and the "architect of the horrific genocide of Palestinians" in a CNN interview Tuesday. The remarks came just before a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump and days before Netanyahu's scheduled arrival in New York for the UN General Assembly.

Netanyahu's visit to New York is expected to be brief, with his flight reportedly rerouted to New Jersey instead of JFK Airport due to coordination difficulties with U.S. authorities and concerns about potential disruptions. Sources familiar with the matter suggest Netanyahu may have drastically shortened his trip and opted not to stay overnight due to anticipated protests.

Adams, a vocal critic of Israel, stated in the interview that he discussed the importance of the rule of law with The Hague Mayor Jan van Zanen, referencing the International Criminal Court's arrest warrant against Netanyahu. "I do believe that is something that should be respected, because we want to see trust in our politics and trust in accountability," Adams said, emphasizing that no one should be above the law.

Previously, Adams had vowed to instruct the NYPD to arrest Netanyahu upon arrival, citing the ICC warrant. However, he later retracted this, stating that neither he nor the city has the legal authority to enforce such warrants. He had also indicated he would not participate in protests against Netanyahu, a shift attributed to a desire to avoid further alienating the city's Jewish community and security complexities.

Adams later met with President Trump, discussing Trump's ban on certain media outlets. Trump responded by defending his decision, stating that "fake news" should not have access to special venues. Trump is scheduled to address the UN General Assembly before returning to Washington for a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.