NY mayor says 'no lie' will change Netanyahu's ICC arrest warrant

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani hit back at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, saying his UN speech would not change the International Criminal Court arrest warrant against him.

The exchange followed Netanyahu's address to the General Assembly, where he defended Israel's conduct in the Gaza war.

What did Mamdani say about Netanyahu's ICC arrest warrant?

Mamdani said Netanyahu "used his speech to repeat baseless lies meant to sanitize his genocide of Palestinians."

He added that "no lie can change the fact that he remains the subject of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant alleging war crimes and crimes against humanity."

What did Netanyahu say in his UN speech?

Facing a tight reelection race at home, Netanyahu used the platform to attack leaders of Iran, Britain, France and Turkey, as well as Mamdani, New York's first Muslim mayor.

Dozens of envoys walked out during the speech, while others jeered and booed as Netanyahu's delegation applauded and the presiding officer called for order. "If there are any other moral cowards who haven't left this hall, please do so now," Netanyahu told the delegates who had turned their backs on him.

Why did Netanyahu target Mamdani directly?

Netanyahu called Mamdani "antisemitic" and claimed that "since you were elected mayor of this city, many Jews no longer feel safe."

The remarks followed Mamdani's earlier pledge to enforce the ICC warrant if Netanyahu visited New York, though Mamdani later acknowledged the city had no authority to carry that out.

What is the ICC arrest warrant against Netanyahu?

The ICC issued the warrant for Netanyahu in November 2024, alongside one for then-Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, alleging war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

The court said the alleged crimes included starvation as a method of warfare, murder, persecution and other inhumane acts. Netanyahu and Israel reject the allegations.

How did New Yorkers react to Netanyahu's visit?

The tensions also spilled onto the streets, where protesters gathered near the United Nations, some carrying "stop the genocide" banners. Several demonstrators were detained, including actors Susan Sarandon and Hannah Einbinder.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was unable to attend the UN gathering after the Trump administration denied visas to his delegation. In a video message played ahead of Netanyahu's speech, Abbas rejected the decision, saying: "We reject these unlawful punitive measures, and we reject the accusations and justifications on which they were based."