New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has renewed his call for the United States to join the International Criminal Court and enforce its arrest warrants — including the 2024 warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Mamdani made the remarks in an interview on comedian Theo Von's "This Past Weekend" podcast, aired Thursday. "I believe that the US government should join the ICC. It should enforce its warrants for everyone," he said. "If I had my say, the US government would have joined the ICC, honored every single warrant that they've issued."
Asked about Netanyahu, Mamdani called the Israeli prime minister "the architect of a horrific genocide," referring to allegations arising from Israel's military campaign in Gaza. Israel rejects the allegations and disputes the ICC's jurisdiction.
The remarks continue a position Mamdani took during his mayoral campaign, when he pledged to have Netanyahu arrested if the Israeli leader visited New York. That stance was tested when Netanyahu travelled to the city for the UN General Assembly last month. In July, Mamdani acknowledged that a legal review had found New York City did not have independent authority to enforce the ICC warrant — such authority, he said, rests with the federal government.
At the UNGA session, Netanyahu had criticised Mamdani, saying "Jews no longer feel safe" in New York under his leadership. The ICC has 124 member states; neither the United States nor Israel is a member, and both reject the court's jurisdiction. US officials, including members of the Biden administration and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, previously described the warrant against Netanyahu as "shameful" and "troubling."
Sources:
Jerusalem Post: Zohran Mamdani calls for US to join ICC, enforce arrest warrants
New York Post: Mamdani calls for US to join ICC, arrest Netanyahu during Theo Von podcast appearance
Times Now: 'If I had my say': Mamdani says US should join ICC and arrest Netanyahu
Mamdani made the remarks in an interview on comedian Theo Von's "This Past Weekend" podcast, aired Thursday. "I believe that the US government should join the ICC. It should enforce its warrants for everyone," he said. "If I had my say, the US government would have joined the ICC, honored every single warrant that they've issued."
Asked about Netanyahu, Mamdani called the Israeli prime minister "the architect of a horrific genocide," referring to allegations arising from Israel's military campaign in Gaza. Israel rejects the allegations and disputes the ICC's jurisdiction.
The remarks continue a position Mamdani took during his mayoral campaign, when he pledged to have Netanyahu arrested if the Israeli leader visited New York. That stance was tested when Netanyahu travelled to the city for the UN General Assembly last month. In July, Mamdani acknowledged that a legal review had found New York City did not have independent authority to enforce the ICC warrant — such authority, he said, rests with the federal government.
At the UNGA session, Netanyahu had criticised Mamdani, saying "Jews no longer feel safe" in New York under his leadership. The ICC has 124 member states; neither the United States nor Israel is a member, and both reject the court's jurisdiction. US officials, including members of the Biden administration and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, previously described the warrant against Netanyahu as "shameful" and "troubling."
Sources:
Jerusalem Post: Zohran Mamdani calls for US to join ICC, enforce arrest warrants
New York Post: Mamdani calls for US to join ICC, arrest Netanyahu during Theo Von podcast appearance
Times Now: 'If I had my say': Mamdani says US should join ICC and arrest Netanyahu
