Netanyahu Calls ICC Charges 'Bogus,' Accuses NYC Mayor of Hate

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani of fomenting hate and dismissed International Criminal Court war crimes charges against him as 'bogus.' Netanyahu stated he intends to visit New York in September for the UN General Assembly, despite Mayor Mamdani's suggestion that he is not welcome and his previous pledge to enforce an ICC arrest warrant. Mamdani later acknowledged his administration did not have the independent legal authority to enforce the warrant. Netanyahu expressed concern about rising antisemitism in the U.S. and the potential erosion of bipartisan support for Israel. The ICC has accused Netanyahu of committing war crimes in Gaza, a charge Israel denies. The conflict in Gaza began after the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israel.