Mayor Mamdani Calls Netanyahu a ‘War Criminal,’ Demands Enforcement of ICC Arrest Warrant

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani publicly labeled Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a “war criminal” and urged the U.S. federal government to enforce the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) arrest warrant against him should he enter the United States.
The ICC issued arrest warrants in November 2024 against Netanyahu and Israel’s former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity related to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
In a video posted on X on Tuesday, Mamdani said, “Benjamin Netanyahu is a war criminal and the mastermind behind a horrific genocide against the Palestinian people.” In the two-minute-nine-second video, he held the Israeli prime minister responsible for the killing of more than 73,000 Palestinians in Gaza, targeting hospitals, and obstructing the delivery of food and humanitarian aid to those in need.
Mamdani further said the United States bears direct responsibility for the devastation, stating, “As Americans, we pay for the bombs that are used in this slaughter.” He added, “There’s a reason the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu. Anyone with eyes, a heart, and a conscience must acknowledge the devastation he has caused and understand that his place is before a court.”
Mayor Mamdani acknowledged that his administration does not have independent legal authority to enforce the ICC’s arrest warrant, but made clear where the responsibility lies: “The federal government has that authority, so I am calling on them to stand with the ICC and enforce this warrant.” He went on to declare, “Benjamin Netanyahu is not welcome in New York City — nor is any other war criminal roaming free.”
Mamdani also issued a broader call to action against the Gaza genocide, saying, “While we cannot end this genocide on our own, we can decide whether our silence becomes another weapon.”
Notably, in an interview with The New York Times last Saturday, Mamdani had said he was reviewing whether he would have the legal authority to arrest Netanyahu — who has been designated a war criminal by the ICC for the genocide of Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip — during the UN General Assembly’s upcoming session in September. Responding to this on Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump said Netanyahu would not be arrested “under any circumstances” while in the United States.