Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fired back at New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on July 26, 2026, calling him a purveyor of "fomenting hate" after Mamdani demanded his arrest on war crimes charges.
On July 22, 2026, Mamdani had labeled Netanyahu a war criminal who should be taken into custody, according to The Guardian. The mayor made the call in the context of a planned Netanyahu visit to New York for the UN General Assembly. Mamdani urged the federal government to carry out the International Criminal Court warrant, while acknowledging that New York City itself has no legal authority to execute it.
The ICC, the world's top war crimes court, issued the warrant against Netanyahu. Netanyahu dismissed the charges as "bogus," The Guardian said.
Netanyahu stated he intends to travel to New York in September to address the annual UN General Assembly gathering of world leaders, which is scheduled for fall 2026. BBC News reported that Mamdani walked back his arrest threat in the days following July 22, 2026.