New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Monday that the International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should be “taken seriously,” hours US President Donald Trump said Netanyahu would not face arrest in the US, Anadolu reports.
Speaking at a press conference, Mamdani said Netanyahu is “the subject of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant” over alleged crimes against humanity and war crimes.
“We’re speaking about someone who’s the subject of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant. And he’s the subject of this arrest warrant for alleged crimes against humanity, for war crimes, and he’s the architect of the genocide against Palestinians in Gaza as Israel’s prime minister,” Mamdani said.
He added that his remarks were based on “facts of public record,” not personal opinion.
“I believe that when someone is charged with an International Criminal Court warrant, it’s something that should be taken seriously—whether it’s Benjamin Netanyahu or it’s Vladimir Putin or whomever else. What I’ve also made clear is that my administration will follow all applicable local laws,” he said.
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Mamdani reiterated that position, saying: “If someone is charged with a warrant by the International Criminal Court for these kinds of crimes, that’s something I believe should be honored. And I’ve also said that we will follow our local laws.”
His comments came after US President Donald Trump said Netanyahu would not face arrest in the United States.
In a Truth Social post earlier Monday, Trump said the Israeli leader “will not be arrested, in any way, shape, or form, while in the United States of America.”
Earlier, Mamdani told The New York Times that his administration’s legal department was discussing the possibility of Netanyahu’s arrest if he visited New York, saying he believes the Israeli premier “belongs in The Hague.”
The ICC issued arrest warrants in November 2024 for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
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