Netanyahu vs. Mamdani: Dispute Over Arrest at UN General Debate

In a statement, the office drew a direct comparison to Karim Khan, the suspended chief prosecutor of the ICC: "Just like Karim Khan, Mamdani seems to be interested in distracting public attention from his own missteps and attacking the head of government of the Jewish state and the only democracy in the Middle East."

The background is a remark Mamdani made in an interview with the New York Times. The mayor, who describes himself as a "democratic socialist" and is counted among the left wing of the US Democrats, had announced that he wanted to explore options for arresting Netanyahu during the UN General Debate in September. At the same time, he called the Israeli head of government a "war criminal."

Mamdani also told the New York Times that he believed Netanyahu "belongs in The Hague." At the same time, he expressed uncertainty about whether, as mayor, he had the authority to order the New York police to arrest a foreign head of government. The UN General Debate will take place in September at UN headquarters in New York.

Mamdani: Left-Wing Democrat and First Muslim Mayor of New York

In an interview with a New York radio station, Netanyahu for his part had accused Mamdani of supporting the Islamist group Hamas. He also said: "I believe that, deep down, he hates America."

The ICC in The Hague has issued arrest warrants against Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on suspicion of crimes against humanity and war crimes in the Gaza war. Netanyahu's office described the ICC as "a sham court that has no jurisdiction over Americans or Israelis." The arrest warrant was "fabricated" and "issued by a disgraced former ICC prosecutor," the statement continued. The arrest warrant against Netanyahu was "a clear attempt by Khan to distract public attention and shield himself from close scrutiny."

Mamdani is the first Muslim mayor of New York. The Israeli ambassador to the United Nations also criticized Mamdani's remarks.

The Gaza War Since October 7, 2023

The conflict in the Gaza Strip has been ongoing since the attack by Hamas and allied groups on Israel on October 7, 2023. In the massacres on that day, the Islamists killed 1,221 people, according to statistics, and abducted 251 victims as hostages into the Gaza Strip. Israel subsequently launched a military offensive in the Palestinian territory. According to figures from Hamas, which cannot be independently verified, more than 70,000 Palestinians were killed in the course of the two years of fighting that followed.

The report was broadcast on July 19, 2026 on Deutschlandfunk and is based on an AFP dispatch.

In addition, media reports point out that Khan, the suspended ICC chief prosecutor, who is accused of sexual misconduct toward a staff member in his office, is the subject of ongoing proceedings. These allegations are part of the context in which Netanyahu's office drew comparisons between Khan and Mamdani.