New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Tuesday branded Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a "war criminal" and declared him unwelcome in the city, escalating his push for the Israeli leader's arrest after initially consulting legal advisers about the matter.
Mamdani called on the US federal government to enforce the International Criminal Court's November 2024 arrest warrant for Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes in Gaza, while acknowledging that New York City lacks the legal authority to execute it itself. He also urged Washington to join the ICC and fulfil the warrant.
The appeal clashes directly with President Donald Trump, who vowed that Netanyahu will not be arrested if he enters the United States for the September UN General Assembly, setting up a stark divide between City Hall and the White House over the Israeli leader's anticipated visit.