NYC Mayor Mamdani calls Netanyahu 'war criminal,' says arrest warrant review continues

BAGHDAD, Iraq — New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has described Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a "war criminal," citing the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court. Speaking on a New York Times program, Mamdani said Netanyahu should face trial at the court in The Hague. Mamdani said New York City authorities are still reviewing whether Netanyahu would be detained if he visits the city. "We will act to the extent the law permits; we will not create our own rules," he said, according to the interview. During his 2024 election campaign, Mamdani had pledged to instruct police to arrest Netanyahu if he came to New York for the United Nations General Assembly. Netanyahu, in a radio interview, said he was not worried by Mamdani's threat and accused the mayor of supporting Hamas.