The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has sharply criticized New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, accusing him of attacking Israel to distract from his own record after the mayor called Netanyahu a "war criminal."
The response followed Mamdani's statement that his administration was examining whether it could arrest the Israeli leader during an expected city visit, citing the International Criminal Court's warrant.
Netanyahu's office rejected the ICC's authority, calling it a "kangaroo court" with no jurisdiction over Americans or Israelis. The office said the arrest warrant against Netanyahu was issued by a former ICC prosecutor shortly before misconduct allegations against him became public.
According to the prime minister's office, the warrant was a deliberate attempt to divert scrutiny. It argued that Mamdani is employing the same tactic to shift attention from his policies in New York.
The statement defended Israel's conduct in Gaza, asserting that the government has taken unprecedented steps to protect civilians while confronting Hamas. It described Hamas as a terrorist organization that uses Palestinian civilians as human shields.
Former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo dismissed Mamdani's remarks as political theater with no practical effect. He said there is no realistic path for New York to arrest Netanyahu during the September U.N. General Assembly session.
Several Democratic figures also pushed back on the mayor's stance. Former New York City Mayor Eric Adams warned that threatening to arrest a close ally's leader during U.N. week is reckless and could endanger Americans abroad.
Senator John Fetterman separately criticized Mamdani, saying the arrest threat is unenforceable and urging the mayor to focus on New York's domestic challenges rather than foreign policy.
