Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani of “stoking hate” after the mayor stated the Israeli leader should be detained if he enters New York under an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant. Netanyahu also blasted the ICC’s war crimes charges against him as “bogus” and declared he would still go to New York to speak to the United Nations General Assembly later this year.
The row follows comments by Mamdani that Netanyahu would not be welcome in New York and that US authorities should enforce an arrest warrant issued by the ICC against the Israeli prime minister for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in relation to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. He says the warrant should be respected, even if New York City itself has no legal jurisdiction to make such an arrest.
In an interview with Fox News, Netanyahu vehemently denied the accusations, calling them politically motivated and lacking legal legitimacy. He alleged Mamdani was stirring enmity towards Israel and Jewish communities by calling for his arrest, saying such speech is part of increasing antisemitism. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also pledged to proceed with his plans to visit the annual UN General Assembly in September, despite the uproar.
The Israeli leader also condemned the ICC, calling its indictment of him a “bogus” case. He referred to the recent expulsion of former ICC head prosecutor Karim Khan on charges of sexual misconduct saying the development severely dented the credibility of the court. Israel has continually denied the ICC’s jurisdiction over the issue, stating that the court has no power to try Israeli officials since Israel is not a party to the Rome Statute, the treaty that founded the tribunal.
The ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza War. The court ruled there are reasonable grounds to think the two individuals are criminally liable for violations including the alleged use of famine as a weapon of warfare and attacks on people. Israel vehemently denies the charges, saying its military actions are in compliance with international law and are aimed at thwarting Hamas following the group’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
The new argument comes amid heightened political tensions in the United States over the war between Israel and Gaza. Mamdani, a leading progressive lawmaker and outspoken defender of Palestinian rights, has been among the most strident American leaders demanding accountability for Israel’s military campaign. His comments have been welcomed by pro-Palestinian activists but condemned by pro-Israel groups and political officials, who say his speech is biased toward Israel.
Netanyahu warned that the increasingly hostile political rhetoric was undermining the bipartisan support for Israel in the United States. However, he repeated he will go to New York for the UN gathering, saying he would continue to defend Israel’s activities on the international stage despite legal and political hurdles.
The renewed war of words comes amid ongoing and mounting international scrutiny of the Gaza conflict, with discussions about accountability, international law and the role of the ICC continuing extremely controversial among governments and political figures throughout the world.
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