Graham Platner accuses ‘international fugitive’ Netanyahu of war crimes

Maine’s controversial Nazi-tattooed Democratic nominee for the US Senate accuses Israel’s prime minister of “crimes against humanity,” denounces Netanyahu as an “international fugitive” from ICC charges.

By World Israel News Staff

Graham Platner, the Democratic nominee for US Senate in Maine, accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of war crimes on Monday, a week after winning a primary race that drew national attention over both his progressive campaign and a series of controversies from his past.

“Benjamin Netanyahu is an international fugitive,” Platner wrote on his Facebook account.

“He is charged with the war crimes of starvation as a method of warfare and of intentionally directing an attack against the civilian population; and the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts.”

Platner’s statement referred to the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant for Netanyahu, issued in November 2024 over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

The ICC also issued a warrant for former Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant. Israel has rejected the allegations and accused the court of bias.

Platner, a Marine veteran, oyster farmer and political newcomer, won Maine’s Democratic Senate nomination last week and is expected to face longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins in November.

The race is one of the most closely watched Senate contests of the cycle, with Democrats seeking to defeat Collins in a state that has leaned Democratic since 1992.

Platner has made criticism of Israel and its supporters in US politics a central part of his campaign.

He has opposed US military aid to Israel, criticized AIPAC and accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza.

His Monday post drew renewed attention from critics who have argued that his past comments and conduct make him a vulnerable nominee in the general election.

Among the controversies surrounding Platner are resurfaced Reddit comments from 2014 in which he praised the tactics used by Hamas fighters in a raid that killed Israeli soldiers near Kibbutz Nahal Oz. In one post, he described the attack as “a damn fine looking and successful raid against a superior opponent” and wrote, “I dig it,” while saying he was assessing it from a military standpoint.

Platner has also faced scrutiny over a Nazi-linked tattoo on his chest. He has said he got the tattoo while drunk as a young man and did not understand its meaning until last year, when he had it covered. A former girlfriend has disputed that account, saying he knew what the symbol was and had referred to it as a Nazi tattoo.

Other reports have focused on Platner’s past relationships and online comments. Former girlfriends told The New York Times that he had behaved in ways they described as unsettling or toxic, while Platner has denied allegations of abuse and said his past has been weaponized against him.

Separate reports said Platner sent sexually explicit messages to other women while married; his wife confirmed she had found the messages and said she was hurt by the disclosure.

Platner has apologized for parts of his past conduct, citing struggles after his military service, including PTSD and depression.