New York City Democrat Zohran Mamdani is facing sharp criticism after describing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a “war criminal” and saying he believes the Israeli leader “belongs in The Hague.”
In a recent interview with The New York Times, the Democratic socialist said his legal team is actively examining whether Netanyahu could be arrested if he travels to New York City for the upcoming United Nations General Assembly meeting on September 8.
“I believe that Prime Minister Netanyahu belongs in The Hague,” Mamdani said, invoking the Dutch city that is home to the International Criminal Court, where individuals accused of grave international crimes can face trial.
“He’s a war criminal who has been charged by the International Criminal Court. And what you will find is that is an opinion that is held by many purely because of what his actions have wrought over these last many years.
“I’ve also said that I will follow the laws that we have here in New York City because I believe that there is an importance in following the law as a leader who presides over our city,” Mamdani told the outlet.
Mamdani’s remarks about Netanyahu have drawn a swift backlash from critics, including US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz, who dismissed the comments as “pure political theater.”
“Federal authority trumps any local mayor’s wishes,” Waltz wrote on X.
The Trump ally went on to outline several reasons he believes Mamdani would not have the legal power to order the Israeli prime minister’s arrest.
People have slammed New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani after he said he would arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he came to New York City
Mamdani called Netanyahu a ‘war criminal’ who ‘belongs in the Hague’ during a recent interview with The New York Times
‘1. The US is not party to the Rome Statute that underlies the ICC, 2. The UN Headquarters Agreement grants diplomatic protections to visiting heads of gov’t, 3. head-of-state immunity applies, & 4. federal authority trumps any local mayor’s wishes,’ he wrote.
House Republicans echoed Walz’s response and suggested that Mamdani focus more on running his city than on Netanyahu.
‘Mamdani is threatening to arrest the head of one of our closest allies,’ the group wrote. ‘He should stop politicizing local law enforcement and interfering with US foreign policy and instead focus on rising rent and housing prices and antisemitism in NYC.’
Eric Adams, the former mayor of New York City, even chimed in about Mamdani’s statement, calling it ‘reckless’.
‘This isn’t a college protest. This is the City of New York. Threatening to arrest the democratically elected leader of one of America’s closest allies during UN General Assembly week isn’t bold. It’s reckless,’ Adams wrote on X.
The former politician also said he ‘looks forward’ to welcoming the prime minister in a couple of months.
Local politicians were also left outraged by Mamdani’s statement, with Brooklyn City Councilwoman Inna Vernikov urging him to care about New Yorkers over Netanyahu.
Former New York City Mayor Eric Adams weighed in on Mamdani’s comments about Netanyahu
‘Mamdani should concern himself with the homeless epidemic, the affordability crisis and the floods on New York City’s roads rather than illegally meddling in foreign affairs to befriend more terrorists and attempt to arrest our friends,’ the GOP firebrand told the New York Post.
Democrats also fumed over Mamdani’s comment, with Senator John Fetterman stating that the mayor needs to ‘sit down’.
‘Well, [he’s] such a tough guy to say that kind of thing. He has no way to do that. Of course, obviously, America’s not even part of that corrupt court,’ Fetterman said in an interview with Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo.
If he were in Mamdani’s role, Fetterman said he ‘would just sit down and focus on other … problems that they have in New York. That’s really not your purview.
‘You and I know that. Sit down,’ he said.
Netanyahu is referred to as an alleged war criminal by some because a warrant was issued for his arrest on November 21, 2024, by the ICC.
The court has accused him of allegedly being involved in war crimes and crimes against humanity during the conflict in Gaza.
US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz called Mamdani’s comment ‘pure political theater’
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Two months after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, Netanyahu said the Israeli military was ‘acting as morally as possible’ and accused the Palestinian militant group of genocide.
Mamdani has been a supporter of Palestinian rights, and skipped the annual Israel Day Parade in the Big Apple after promising to protest the Israeli government’s actions in Gaza.
‘I said on the campaign trail that I wouldn’t be attending the parade, and I’ve made my views on the Israeli government abundantly clear,’ Mamdani said when asked about his plans to skip the event.
He went on to claim that his decision would not affect the city’s commitment to ensuring everyone’s safety at the parade.
‘I also said on that same campaign that I would have a responsibility as the mayor of the city to ensure the safety and security of each and every New Yorker,’ Mamdani stated.
He was the first New York City mayor to skip the parade in over 60 years.
