Netanyahu accuses Mamdani of ‘fomenting hate’ and calls ICC war-crimes charges ‘bogus’ — SkimNews
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- Netanyahu accused NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani of "fomenting hate" for calling him a war criminal who should be arrested if he visits the city for the September UN General Assembly, and said he intends to attend despite the mayor's objection.
- Netanyahu dismissed the ICC war-crimes charges against him as "bogus" and pointed to sexual misconduct allegations against the court's top prosecutor, who was removed from that post on Friday.
- Mamdani acknowledged last week that NYC lacks legal authority to execute the ICC arrest warrant but called on federal authorities to step in, declaring "Benjamin Netanyahu is not welcome in New York City."
- Trump told Netanyahu in a Monday social media post that he "will not be arrested, in any way, shape, or form, while in the United States of America."
- Netanyahu warned that once-bipartisan U.S. support for Israel is at risk as progressive Democrats aligned with Mamdani's wing splinter, and said Jews in NYC — home to the world's second-largest Jewish population — "feel very uncomfortable."
- Netanyahu is expected in Washington this week to meet Trump and attend funeral services for Sen. Lindsey Graham, who died two weeks ago of a likely torn aorta.
Why it matters: Netanyahu's vow to attend the UN General Assembly despite Mamdani's call for his arrest forces a direct collision between an active ICC warrant and U.S. political reality. Trump's public assurance removes the domestic arrest threat, but the exchange highlights a widening rift between progressive Democrats and traditional bipartisan support for Israel.
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