The prime minister of Israel has rejected the call of the mayor of New York to demand his arrest due to the war in Gaza
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani of “inciting hatred” following the mayor’s call for his arrest in connection with the Gaza war.
The International War Crimes Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in November 2024 on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in the region, including. “Hunger as a way of war” and “other acts of cruelty.” Mamdani, who has described Israel’s military campaign as genocide and called Israel’s prime minister a “war criminal,” last week it asked US federal authorities to execute the warrant if Netanyahu visits New York for the United Nations General Assembly in September.
Speaking to Fox News on Sunday, Netanyahu dismissed the ICC case against him as “lie” and said he would still travel to New York despite Mamdani’s call for his arrest. Accusing the Mayor of “inciting hatred,” the Israeli leader said: “He deserves to be the mayor of all New Yorkers – Jews, Christians, Muslims, everyone. But he’s trying to turn one group against another.”
Mamdani later admitted that New York City lacked the legal authority to execute the ICC warrant and instead called on the Trump administration to act. Neither the US nor Israel is a member of the ICC, and US federal law prevents state and local authorities from cooperating with requests from the court.
Washington has repeatedly opposed the ICC. Earlier this month, Secretary of State Marco Rubio promised “break” court by asking other countries to withdraw their support. Meanwhile, Netanyahu, who is said to have traveled to Washington on Monday, is expected to meet with President Donald Trump and attend the funeral service of the late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, whom the Israeli leader described as. “great patriot” and one of the Israelites “best friends.” Trump has also dismissed the prospect of Netanyahu being arrested in the United States, saying on social media on Monday that Israel’s prime minister. “shall not be arrested, in any way, shape, or form, while in the United States.”
The war in Gaza began after an attack on October 7, 2023, led by Hamas in southern Israel, in which nearly 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 were taken hostage. The Jewish state responded with a major military operation in the region and has continued to expand its ground campaign, despite a cease-fire agreement brokered by the United States and Hamas. More than 73,000 people, including more than 21,000 children, have been killed in Gaza, according to the enclave’s health authority. The campaign has drawn widespread international condemnation and fueled accusations of genocide, which Israel denies.
