The Mayor of New York delivered a strongly worded statement in which he described Benjamin Netanyahu as “a war criminal” and “the architect of a horrific genocide against the Palestinian people.” He alleged that Netanyahu bears responsibility for the deaths of more than 73,000 Palestinians, the disabling of tens of thousands of children, and the suffering of many children who, he claimed, underwent amputations without anesthesia.
He further asserted that Netanyahu is responsible for attacks on hospitals serving newborns and maternity care centers, actions which, according to him, deprived infants of even the opportunity to survive. The mayor also said that blocking the entry of food and humanitarian aid, deliberately starving large numbers of civilians, and the deaths of hundreds of aid workers and journalists are among the actions for which the Israeli prime minister should be held accountable.
Referring to a recent United Nations report, he stated that the organization confirmed last month that Palestinian children continue to be deliberately targeted and killed by the Israeli armed forces, more than eight months after what he described as a “ceasefire.”
The mayor continued: “The list of these actions goes on, while we, as Americans, are paying for the bombs that make these killings possible.”
Addressing the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for Netanyahu, he said: “There is a reason the International Criminal Court has issued a warrant for his arrest. As human beings, we have, over generations, reached a shared understanding that some crimes are so horrific that they shock the conscience of all humanity.”
He added: “Anyone who sees with their own eyes, feels with their heart, and judges with their conscience should recognize the devastation he has caused and understand that his place is before a court of law.”
The Mayor of New York further stated: “As I have said before, I agree with the International Criminal Court that Benjamin Netanyahu should be arrested and face the charges against him, just as I believe the same should apply to any other individual indicted by the Court.”
He went on to say that the City of New York had examined every available legal avenue to determine whether it could enforce the ICC arrest warrant should Netanyahu enter the city. According to the mayor, the legal review concluded that New York City does not possess independent legal authority to execute the warrant. However, he argued that the U.S. federal government does have such authority and should cooperate with the International Criminal Court by enforcing the warrant.
In another part of his remarks, the mayor declared: “Benjamin Netanyahu is not welcome in New York City, nor is any other alleged war criminal who is able to travel freely.”
He concluded: “While we alone cannot bring this genocide to an end, we can choose not to let our silence become another weapon. We can use every tool at our disposal to defend humanity and the dignity of every human being. That is my commitment to you.”
Writer:Salima Aryaei
