Mayor Mamdani Calls for Federal Action Against Netanyahu

New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani has urged the federal government to declare Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a “war criminal” and take steps to arrest him, stating that his administration does not have the legal authority to do so.

In a brief video posted to social media, Mamdani accused Netanyahu of being “the mastermind of the horrific genocide against the Palestinian people.”

He has voiced this opinion for months, insisting that if Netanyahu visits New York, he should be arrested due to an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant, which remains unacknowledged by the U.S. government.

During a recent statement, Mamdani mentioned that legal discussions were ongoing about the implications of Netanyahu’s planned visit to the United States for the United Nations General Assembly in September.

In his video, Mamdani laid out grave accusations, saying Netanyahu was responsible for “the murder of more than 73,000 people,” severely injuring many children, and targeting medical facilities.

“The list goes on and on,” Mamdani asserted. “We Americans are financing a destructive force. The ICC has issued a warrant for his arrest for a reason.”

Mamdani emphasized that there are crimes against humanity that need universal recognition and called for everyone to confront this tragedy. He added, “My administration has explored all legal options to see if New York City could enforce the ICC’s warrant if Netanyahu were to come here. It is evident that we lack independent legal authority for this.” He urged the federal government to join the ICC and act on the warrant, stating that Netanyahu is not welcome in New York City.

He further remarked, “We can’t combat genocide alone, but we have to ensure that silence doesn’t become a weapon. We must explore every avenue to protect human dignity.”

In response, former President Donald Trump firmly dismissed any notion of Netanyahu being arrested in the U.S., stating on social media that “he will not be arrested in any way, shape or form.” Mamdani’s remarks received mixed reactions, particularly on social media.

One critic, Sam Routh from Young Voices, commented on social media, pointing out the ineffective governance under Mamdani, stating that the mayor was distracted by international issues while local challenges persisted.

Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, condemned the mayor’s statement, calling it a series of horrific lies against Israel. “This is shameful and unbecoming of the mayor of New York,” he wrote.

U.S. Ambassador to the UN, Mike Walz, added, “He doesn’t have the authority. This is just more political theatrics.”

Senator Tim Scott expressed his disapproval, calling Mamdani’s claim “ridiculous” and criticized those blaming Israel without addressing the actions of terrorists that instigate violence.