“War criminal”: Mamdani urges US government to detain Netanyahu

The charge was made in a video published on social media. Mamdani called the Israeli prime minister a “war criminal” and “architect of a horrible genocide against the Palestinian people”, in addition to holding him responsible for the deaths of more than 73,000 people.

The mayor also attributed to Netanyahu the mutilation of tens of thousands of children, attacks on neonatal and maternal care units, blocking the entry of food and humanitarian aid and the death of journalists and humanitarian workers.

"There is a reason the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for him. As human beings, we have spent generations building a common understanding that there are crimes so serious that they offend all humanity," he declared.

According to Mamdani, the destruction caused by the Israeli offensive should lead Netanyahu to answer before a court. The mayor defended that the Israeli leader be detained and tried for the charges brought against him.

The municipal administration analyzed whether the New York police could execute the ICC warrant during Netanyahu's eventual visit to the city. The legal assessment concluded, however, that the municipality does not have independent authority to carry out the arrest.

Mamdani stated that this competence would fall to the federal government and asked that the United States recognize the role of the international court.

“Benjamin Netanyahu is not welcome in New York City, nor is any other war criminal at large,” he said.

The mayor added that the municipal administration will continue to evaluate the instruments available to defend human dignity, although he recognizes that New York cannot stop the war in the Gaza Strip alone.

Days before the release of the video, Mamdani had already stated that he was studying the legal possibilities of detaining Netanyahu during the General Assembly of the United Nations, scheduled for September, in New York.

In an interview with The New York Times, he declared that he believed that the prime minister should be in The Hague, headquarters of the ICC. Mamdani also said he would adopt all measures permitted by municipal legislation.

President Donald Trump reacted to the statements and assured that Netanyahu will not be arrested while on American territory. The United States is not a member of the International Criminal Court and does not recognize the court's jurisdiction.

During the campaign for mayor, Mamdani had already promised to order the execution of warrants against leaders wanted by the ICC, including Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The court, based in The Hague, issued arrest warrants in November 2024 against Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. The court points to suspicions of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip.

Israel rejects the accusations and challenges the authority of the ICC. The military operation in Palestinian territory began after attacks carried out by Hamas on October 7, 2023.

Trump wants Infantino to run for UN secretary general

According to the New York Post, the president of the United States considers Gianni Infantino a name capable of uniting different countries. The choice of the next UN secretary general will be defined later this year.