New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has renewed his criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, describing him as a “war criminal” and accusing him of being an architect of what Mamdani called a “horrific genocide” against Palestinians.
Mamdani made the comments during an interview with CNN as Netanyahu prepares to travel to New York for the United Nations General Assembly.
Mamdani Defends Position on Netanyahu
The New York mayor said he had been consistent about his views and owed New Yorkers honesty on the issue.
Mamdani also acknowledged that New York City does not have the legal authority to enforce the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant against Netanyahu.
However, he said he believed the warrant should be respected and that no individual should be considered above international law.
“If the International Criminal Court deems someone worthy of an arrest because of a violation of those laws,” Mamdani said, “then who are we to say that anyone should be above that?”
The Mamdani Netanyahu criticism comes ahead of Netanyahu’s expected appearance at the UN General Assembly, where the Israeli prime minister is scheduled to address world leaders.
Netanyahu Responds to Mamdani
Netanyahu has strongly rejected Mamdani’s accusations.
In a video message, the Israeli prime minister accused the New York mayor of supporting Hamas and of inciting unrest against Jewish residents in the city.
Netanyahu said he would use his appearance at the United Nations to respond to Mamdani and defend Israel’s actions.
“I’m coming to the UN,” Netanyahu said, adding that he would tell the truth about Israel’s soldiers and about Mamdani.
The Mamdani Netanyahu criticism has added another layer to the political dispute surrounding Netanyahu’s upcoming visit to New York.
Dispute Over ICC Arrest Warrant
Mamdani previously said he was exploring whether Netanyahu could be arrested if he visited New York. He later acknowledged that the city does not have the authority to enforce the ICC warrant.
The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu in 2024 over alleged war crimes connected to the Gaza war. Israel rejects the court’s jurisdiction and denies committing war crimes.
Netanyahu is expected to address the United Nations on Thursday, where he has said he will defend Israel’s military actions against Palestinians.
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