Clash of statements between Netanyahu and New York mayor: “War criminal, we await him in The Hague”

Newly elected New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani has stated that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu belongs at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, calling him a war criminal. The statement came during an interview with the New York Times, where Mamdani discussed the possibility that Netanyahu might have to face an arrest warrant if he visits New York for the UN General Assembly session.

In response to these comments, Netanyahu’s office reacted sharply via a post on X. They advised Mamdani to focus on his city’s issues, accusing him of trying to distract from the consequences of his policies. According to the statement, Mamdani is using this clash to deflect criticism from the harm he is causing to New York.

During the interview, Mamdani said he was not yet sure about his legal authority if a foreign leader wanted internationally were to enter his jurisdiction. “We will do what the law allows me to do in New York,” he stressed, implying that arresting Netanyahu was a possibility that depended on the local legal framework.

In its statement, the Israeli prime minister’s office described Netanyahu as the leader of the Jewish state and the only democracy in the Middle East, defending him against personal and legal attacks. Meanwhile, Mamdani had emphasized that the arrest warrant issued by the ICC made clear Netanyahu’s status as a war criminal.