US senator calls Netanyahu “wanted war criminal” after Mamdani video

• US Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) blasted Netanyahu on Tuesday over a video attacking NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani ahead of Netanyahu's UN General Assembly address.
• Van Hollen cited the ICC's November 2024 arrest warrant against Netanyahu, calling him "a wanted war criminal" who "lies and lies and lies"
• The senator accused Netanyahu's government of blocking accountability for Americans killed in the West Bank by settlers or ‘Israeli’ security forces.

Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland delivered a sharp public rebuke of ‘Israeli’ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday, after Netanyahu released a video attacking New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani in the run-up to his address to the UN General Assembly. Van Hollen said the prime minister was "a wanted war criminal."

Van Hollen, a Democrat, criticized Netanyahu on Tuesday for the video attacking Mamdani, accusing him of making false statements and criticizing his government's conduct in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. Watching the video prompted his response, and he called Netanyahu a chronic liar in strong terms.

The senator tied his criticism to the International Criminal Court's arrest warrant against Netanyahu. The ICC issued warrants in November 2024 for Netanyahu and then-Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza conflict, a jurisdiction and allegations that ‘Israel’ rejects. Van Hollen argued that the label undercuts any credibility Netanyahu has to lecture New York's mayor.

He also raised accountability for Americans killed in the West Bank. He said Netanyahu's government continues to refuse accountability and justice for American citizens killed there by violent ‘Israeli’ settlers or ‘Israeli’ security forces.

Posting on X, Van Hollen put it directly: Netanyahu's lies about Mamdani "don't change the fact" that he's "a wanted war criminal" who has blocked justice for Americans killed on his watch, adding that if anyone should be "shamed & ashamed," it's Netanyahu, and that he's "lucky he was even allowed into our country." Netanyahu, for his part, had accused Mamdani of supporting Hamas.

Prime Minister Netanyahu's lies about @NYCMayor don't change the fact that Netanyahu is a wanted war criminal who has blocked justice for Americans killed on his watch.

If there's anyone who should be shamed & ashamed, it's him.

He's lucky he was even allowed into our country. pic.twitter.com/jATwiRcLv6

— Senator Chris Van Hollen (@ChrisVanHollen) September 22, 2026