Netanyahu Decries ICC as “Kangaroo Court” After Mamdani’s “War Criminal” Remark

Benjamin Netanyahu lashed out at New York mayor Zohran Mamdani after he said his team was finding out whether the Israeli prime minister could face an arrest during his visit for the UN General Assembly in September.

«I believe that Prime Minister Netanyahu belongs in The Hague,» Mamdani said on The New York Times’ «The Interview» podcast on Saturday, referring to the Dutch capital where the UN-backed International Criminal Court (ICC) has its seat.

«He’s a war criminal who has been charged by the International Criminal Court. And what you will find is that is an opinion that is held by many purely because of what his actions have wrought over these last many years,» Mamdani asserted.

Expanding on the issue, Mamdani said he was consulting legal advisers to determine whether New York has any authority to act on the ICC arrest warrant for Netanyahu.

The Israeli prime minister’s office responded to Mamdani later on Sunday, calling the ICC «a kangaroo court» with no jurisdiction over the Americans or the Israelis. The former ICC prosecutor Karim Khan has cleared the measure to shift public attention away from the allegations of sexual misconduct against him, the statement claimed.

«Instead of backing Khan’s criminal behaviour, Mr Mamdani should focus on fixing the damage his policies have caused New York,» it said.

The exchange is the latest in a long-running political feud between Mamdani and Israeli officials. During his mayoral campaign, Mamdani pledged to act on the ICC warrant if Netanyahu travelled to New York.

He has also repeatedly described the Israeli military actions in Gaza as genocidal, while also condemning Hamas’ 7 October 2023 attack on Israel as a war crime.

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