The Muslim mayor of a Detroit suburb has vowed to arrest two senior Israeli officials if they decide to visit his city, which is unlikely.
Dearborn, Michigan, a majority-Arab city of more than 100,000 residents, elected its first Muslim mayor in 2021, Abdullah Hammoud. Hammoud, a 34-year-old Democrat who previously served in the Michigan House of Representatives, has long been a harsh critic of Israel.
On Thursday, he extended that criticism to an all-out threat to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant if they ever set foot on Dearborn soil.
“Dearborn will arrest Prime Minister Netanyahu and Mr. Gallant if they set foot within Dearborn city limits,” Hammoud wrote. ×. “Other cities should declare as well.”
His post came shortly after the International Criminal Court arrest warrant issued Netanyahu and Gallant committed “war crimes of starvation as a means of war, and crimes against humanity of murder, persecution, and other acts of inhumanity” in Gaza from October 2023 to at least May 2024. It is said that
“This finding is based on Mr. Netanyahu and Mr. Gallant's role in obstructing humanitarian assistance in violation of international humanitarian law and their failure to facilitate relief efforts by all means possible.” [sic] ICC said.
In response to these allegations from the ICC, Hammoud said in a post that U.S. “city leaders can ensure that Netanyahu and other war criminals are not welcome to move freely in the United States.” insisted.
In his post, Hammoud lamented that “our president may not take action” regarding the arrest warrant. However, it is unclear whether Hammoud was referring to the outgoing Biden administration, the incoming second Trump administration, or both.
Before being elected mayor in 2021, Hammoud told Biden: ceasefire amid continuing hostilities in Gaza. And earlier this month, he rebelled against Muslim leaders in other regions, refused to meet with Donald Trump In the days leading up to the 2024 election, he also refused to endorse Kamala Harris.
“Local authorities have no legal authority to detain world leaders under these circumstances. In any case, this scenario is impossible.”
On Thursday, ICC announced It issued the warrant after rejecting Israel's challenge to the agency's jurisdiction. According to WDIVThe ICC was established in 2002 to prosecute genocide and other war crimes when member states refuse or are unable to commit their acts.
Neither Israel nor the United States are members of the ICC.
Blaze News has contacted the Dearborn Police Department to find out whether officers will pursue and arrest either Netanyahu or Gallant if they visit the city. There was no reply.
With such widespread hostility toward Israel in Dearborn, many view Hammoud's post as nothing more than an empty threat.
“Yeah, I'm sure he'll come to Dearborn,” she joked. james dixona Michigan journalist and host of the podcast Enjoyer.
“Does anyone remember when the Michigan Legislature gave this state's mayors police powers?” wrote Chad Livengood, political editor of the Detroit News.
EJ Kimball, senior policy advisor for the American Israel Education Association, made a similar suggestion, telling Blaze News in a statement:
The United States is not a party to the International Criminal Court. In other words, there is no jurisdiction within the United States to execute an ICC arrest warrant.
Moreover, local governments have no legal authority to detain world leaders under such circumstances. In any case, this scenario is unlikely, as Prime Minister Netanyahu will not be traveling to Dearborn or similar jurisdictions.
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