Netanyahu shames Mamdani for supporting Hamas ahead of UN visit

Mayor Zohran Mamdani told CNN on Monday that Netanyahu is 'a war criminal and an architect of a horrific genocide of the Palestinian people' and should be arrested under the ICC's outstanding warrant.

• The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu in November 2024 over alleged war crimes in Gaza.
• The U.S. is not a party to the Rome Statute; federal authorities are not expected to enforce the warrant.
• Netanyahu cut his U.S. visit short, now limited to a few hours in New York City on Thursday.
• Mamdani acknowledged in July he lacks the legal authority to arrest Netanyahu himself.

Why it matters: The standoff illustrates a direct clash between a city mayor's political position and federal foreign policy on ICC authority.

• Israel's UN Ambassador Danny Danon told the New York Post the mayor 'cannot set the fire, then say this,' warning of unpredictable protest conditions.

How 22 sources split on this story

Where they split: The core dispute is whether the ICC warrant creates any legitimate obligation on U.S. officials to act — or whether it is irrelevant to American law and foreign policy.

What’s next: Netanyahu is scheduled to speak at the UNGA Thursday afternoon, then fly back to Israel the same evening.

• Organizations including the Palestinian Youth Movement and Jewish Voice for Peace have planned a mass demonstration outside UN headquarters Thursday.
• Will the Trump administration announce new sanctions against the ICC before or during Netanyahu's visit?
• How large will Thursday's demonstration be, and how will the NYPD respond?