New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani called on the U.S. government to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a video released on Tuesday 21 July, describing the Israeli leader as a "war criminal."
The Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu in 2024 over alleged war crimes committed during the Gaza war. Israel rejects the court's jurisdiction and denies committing war crimes.
Mamdani said his administration does not have the legal authority to enforce the warrant or arrest Netanyahu if he visits New York.
"The federal government, however, does, and I call on them to join the ICC and execute this warrant," he said.
The remarks came a day after U.S. President Donald Trump said Netanyahu would not be arrested during any visit to the United States.
"Benjamin Netanyahu will not be arrested, in any way, shape, or form, while in the United States of America," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. While he did not mention Mamdani by name, the comments followed the mayor's recent calls for action against the Israeli leader.
Netanyahu traditionally travels to New York each September to attend the United Nations General Assembly.
The Trump administration is currently locked in a dispute with the International Criminal Court (ICC). It has imposed sanctions on the court's judges and prosecutors, arguing the ICC lacks jurisdiction over the United States and Israel and objecting to its investigations into alleged war crimes involving U.S. personnel in Afghanistan and Israeli officials in connection with the war in Gaza. The administration says the court is improperly targeting U.S. and Israeli nationals and infringing on their sovereignty.
In an interview broadcast over the weekend, Mamdani said New York City's legal department had examined what authority the city might have regarding the ICC warrant, but concluded that it lacks the power to carry out such an arrest.
Responding to Mamdani's comments, Israel dismissed the ICC warrant as "bogus" and described the court as a "kangaroo court." In a post on X, Israeli officials accused the mayor of targeting "the leader of the Jewish state and the only democracy in the Middle East."
Netanyahu has also dismissed the prospect of being arrested over the warrant, saying he is not concerned by Mamdani's remarks.
The ICC, established in 2002, has jurisdiction over genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. Neither the United States nor Israel is a member of the court.
Demonstrators carrying Iranian flags and placards supporting the hijab gathered outside the Azerbaijani Embassy...
A Chinese-made AI chip has matched Nvidia’s H200 in tests conducted by its developer, marking a potential breakthrough in China’s effor...
China’s GJ-21 carrier-based stealth reconnaissance and strike drone has completed its first take-off and landing on board the Sichuan, the co...
The Middle East conflict remains tense as diplomatic efforts continue alongside renewed Houthi attacks. Iran says it remains open to mediation, while the Saudi-led coalition says it intercepted a ballistic missile fired towards the kingdom.
Evacuations and the provision of humanitarian aid in the Russian-occupied southern Ukrainian town of Oleshky have begun, a senior Ukrainian official said on Friday. In a statement on Telegram, David Arakhamia said a six-day ceasefire was holding, and that more details would follow.
Rescuers searched the wreckage of two high-speed trains in central Spain on Thursday as the death toll rose to a provisional 74, making it the country's second fatal high-speed rail disaster this year.
Qatari mediators returned to Tehran on Friday as part of efforts to reach a deal between the U.S. and Iran, according to an official briefed on the talks.
UN human rights experts comprising a group including Special Rapporteurs and independent experts who are part of the UN Human Rights Council, have criticised French authorities over their handling of nationwide student protests.
China’s GJ-21 carrier-based stealth reconnaissance and strike drone has completed its first take-off and landing on board the Sichuan, the country’s first Type 076 amphibious assault ship, state media reported on 30 October.
A powerful El Niño is driving extreme weather worldwide, leaving millions facing drought, wildfires and destructive storms as governments scramble to respond to the growing crisis.
A high-speed train involved in Wednesday's deadly collision in Spain was travelling at between 160 and 200 kilometres per hour, far above the 40 km/h safety limit, according to a preliminary investigation published on Friday.
Evacuations and the provision of humanitarian aid in the Russian-occupied southern Ukrainian town of Oleshky have begun, a senior Ukrainian official said on Friday. In a statement on Telegram, David Arakhamia said a six-day ceasefire was holding, and that more details would follow.
Hackers have pulled off a staggering $6.3 billion cryptocurrency heist targeting Binance, shaking confidence in one of the world's biggest digital asset exchanges and sending crypto prices tumbling. U.S. analysts suspect North Korea was behind the attack.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment