New York City Mayoral Candidate Calls for Respecting ICC Warrant
New York City’s democratic socialist mayoral candidate Zoran Mamdani recently stated that the city should adhere to the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visits. During an interview with Martha McCallum on Fox News’ “The Story,” Mamdani emphasized, “This is a city that believes in international law and wants to uphold that.”
McCallum responded by pointing out that the United States does not support the ICC, to which Mamdani acknowledged that the U.S. isn’t a signatory of the court’s convention. He explained, “The ICC has issued a warrant for Netanyahu, similar to what it did for Vladimir Putin. I believe that this warrant should be recognized, but only if we comply with existing laws.” Interestingly, Mamdani clarified that he would not create new laws to facilitate Netanyahu’s arrest.
When pressed by McCallum about whether NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch would permit the arrest, he sidestepped specifics, reiterating, “We plan to exhaust all legal avenues available to us.” Netanyahu faces an ICC warrant over alleged war crimes in Gaza, while it’s important to note that the U.S. does not acknowledge the ICC’s authority.
Additionally, Mamdani didn’t credit former President Donald Trump during the interview when discussing last week’s ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. He mentioned, “I think it’s too early to assign credit here. If it turns out to be lasting, then we can talk about credit.”
Amid these remarks, activists have expressed concern about a poll indicating growing support for Mamdani’s anti-Israel stance.
Mamdani also sidestepped direct questions about Hamas, stating, “I have no strong opinion on the future of Hamas and Israel, except that everything should adhere to international law.”
Looking ahead, Mamdani is set to debate fellow Democrat Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa in a key matchup, which will undoubtedly highlight his position on these controversial topics.
