New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said his administration was studying whether there was any legal authority to take action if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the city in September for the United Nations General Assembly.In an interview with The New York Times, Mamdani said discussions were ongoing with the city’s legal team to determine what powers, if any, the mayor’s office could exercise. “Whatever the law allows me to do in New York, we will do it, but we are not going to make our own laws about it,” he said, adding that he was in “active dialogue” with the New York City Law Department on the matter.Mamdani also reiterated his criticism of the Israeli leader, saying: “I believe Prime Minister Netanyahu belongs in The Hague.” Referring to the International Criminal Court (ICC), he added, “He is a war criminal charged by the ICC.”The mayor argued that his stance reflected a broader international perspective. “You will find that this is a view held by many people purely because of the impact of his behavior over the years,” he said.
ICC issues arrest warrant for Netanyahu
The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity in connection with Israel’s military operation in Gaza.The court said there were reasonable grounds to believe the two leaders were criminally responsible for using starvation as a means of warfare and restricting the entry of basic humanitarian supplies such as food, water, fuel, medicine and electricity into Gaza. The arrest warrant also accuses them of intentional attacks on civilians and crimes against humanity, including murder, persecution and other inhumane acts related to humanitarian crises.The court’s findings are based on evidence collected up to May 2024.
Israel denies accusations
Netanyahu and Galante have strongly denied the accusations. Netanyahu’s office called the ICC accusations “ridiculous and false” and insisted that Israel’s military action was legal and necessary. Galante also rejected the ruling, saying it set a dangerous precedent that violated the country’s right to self-defense.Netanyahu is expected to travel to New York later this year for the annual United Nations General Assembly, which brings together world leaders for high-level meetings.
