Netanyahu Accuses Mamdani Of 'fomenting Hate' And Calls Icc War-crimes Charges 'bogus'

WASHINGTON — Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani is “fomenting hate” by calling nan premier curate a warfare criminal who should beryllium arrested complete nan warfare successful Gaza if he visits nan metropolis for nan United Nations General Assembly.

Netanyahu said he intends to beryllium successful New York successful September to reside nan yearly U.N. gathering of world leaders, contempt nan mayor’s proposal that he is not welcome. Mamdani said past week that though New York City does not person ineligible authority to execute an apprehension warrant issued by nan world’s apical war-crimes court, he encouraged nan national authorities to do so.

“He’s expected to beryllium nan politician of each New Yorkers — Jews, Christians, Muslims, everyone,” Netanyahu said connected Fox News Channel’s “Sunday Morning Futures” pinch Maria Bartiromo. “But he’s trying to move 1 group against nan other.”

The premier curate has go an progressively polarizing fig complete Israel’s warfare successful Gaza, which was ignited by nan Oct. 7, 2023, deadly onslaught connected confederate Israel by Hamas militants. Israel besides joined nan U.S. successful starting nan warfare against Iran connected Feb. 28 earlier launching a crushed penetration successful confederate Lebanon successful consequence to occurrence from nan Iranian-backed Hezbollah group.

Netanyahu connected Sunday dismissed nan International Criminal Court’s warfare crimes charges against him arsenic “bogus.” He pointed to intersexual misconduct allegations against nan ICC’s apical prosecutor, who was removed from that station Friday, and said nan warrant was an effort to divert attention.

The mayor’s agency did not instantly respond to a petition for remark Sunday.

U.S. support for Israel astatine risk, Netanyahu says

Netanyahu said he was concerned that once-bipartisan governmental support for Israel successful nan U.S. is astatine risk, peculiarly arsenic progressive Democrats aligned pinch Mamdani’s position splinter from galore mainstream members of nan party.

He besides warned against rising antisemitism successful nan U.S. and different Western countries, saying that erstwhile he talks to group successful New York City, location to nan second-largest Jewish organization successful nan world, “Jews consciousness very uncomfortable.”

“And I deliberation it’s wrong. The full point is wrong,” he said.

Throughout his mayoral predetermination run past year, Mamdani said he would activity to bid nan city’s constabulary to execute nan ICC’s apprehension warrant complete Netanyahu’s domiciled successful nan warfare successful Gaza. Amnesty International and different world organizations person concluded that Israel’s behaviour successful Gaza amounts to genocide.

Mamdani acknowledged past week that his metropolis did not person nan ineligible authority to apprehension Netanyahu and called connected national authorities to measurement in.

“I want to beryllium arsenic clear, Benjamin Netanyahu is not invited successful New York City, nor is immoderate different warfare criminal astatine large,” he said successful a video message.

He told New Yorkers that he understood their vexation and that expressions of protestation were thing nan metropolis would “always respect.”

The Hague-based tribunal has accused Netanyahu, his erstwhile defense curate and nan precocious leader of Hamas of crimes against humanity. The Palestinian territory’s Health Ministry says complete 73,000 group person been killed successful Israel’s violative — astir half of them women and children. Some 1,200 people, astir of them civilians, were killed successful nan first Hamas onslaught connected Israel.

Trump assured Netanyahu he won’t beryllium arrested

President Trump told Netanyahu successful a societal media station Monday that he “will not beryllium arrested, successful immoderate way, shape, aliases form, while successful nan United States of America.”

Netanyahu is expected successful Washington this week to meet pinch Trump and be ceremonial services for nan precocious Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina.

Graham, a starring defense hawk and beardown protagonist of Israel, died unexpectedly 2 weeks agone from what is believed to beryllium a torn aorta. The premier minster called him an “extraordinary American patriot.”

Mascaro writes for nan Associated Press. AP writer Anthony Izaguirre successful New York contributed to this report.