Ro Khanna demands Trump have Netanyahu arrested

“America needs to cooperate with the ICC. It’s a matter of human rights, and it’s a matter of a rules-based international order,” Khanna claimed.

By David Rosenberg, World Israel News

Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna of California called on President Donald Trump to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin if either leader enters the US, arguing that Washington should enforce arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court.

Khanna made the comments Friday during an interview with the MeidasTouch news network after being asked about New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s call for the federal government to act on the ICC warrant against Netanyahu.

“He doesn’t have the authority, but let me be clear — the American president should arrest Netanyahu or Putin in accordance with international law. Full stop,” Khanna said of Mamdani.

“America needs to cooperate with the ICC. It’s a matter of human rights, and it’s a matter of a rules-based international order.”

The ICC issued a warrant for Netanyahu in November 2024, alleging that there were reasonable grounds to believe he bore responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity connected to Israel’s campaign against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

The court alleged that Netanyahu and then-Defense Minister Yoav Gallant bore responsibility for using starvation as a method of warfare and for the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution and other inhumane acts.

The warrant represents an accusation rather than a conviction. Netanyahu, Gallant and the Israeli government have rejected the allegations and disputed the court’s jurisdiction, accusing the ICC of applying a politically motivated double standard against Israel.

Asked about the chances that Trump would act against either leader, Khanna accused the president of disregarding international law.

“He’s not a law-and-order president, and he doesn’t really care about human rights or international law,” Khanna said. “It’s embarrassing to the United States and to the world community. It’s simple international law.”

Khanna then tied his call for Netanyahu’s arrest to the continuing fighting involving Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, asserting that the Israeli prime minister was resisting Trump’s efforts to end the conflict.

“Well, there’d be some accountability,” Khanna said. “I mean, Netanyahu’s defying him. Netanyahu is continuing to bomb in Lebanon even though Trump is saying, ‘Stop it so I can end the war.’”

“But this is about accountability. You can’t just kill women and children, have an ICC arrest warrant, and then walk into the United States of America and think nothing is gonna happen to you,” he continued.

“If you come to our jurisdiction, America is a country that’s gonna enforce international law.”

Khanna did not distinguish in his remarks between civilian casualties caused during attacks on military targets and the deliberate killing of civilians. Israel maintains that it targets combatants and military infrastructure, takes measures to reduce civilian casualties and operates in densely populated areas where terrorist organizations embed themselves among civilians.

Hamas and other terrorist groups launched the Gaza war with the October 7, 2023, attacks on southern Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people and abducting 251 hostages. Israel has also accused Hamas of diverting aid, operating from civilian facilities and using Gaza’s population as human shields.

Despite Khanna’s characterization of the issue as “simple international law,” the US is not a member of the ICC and has not ratified the Rome Statute that created the court.

Countries that have joined the statute are generally required to cooperate with ICC arrest requests. Nonmember states such as the US may voluntarily assist the court in certain circumstances, but they are not subject to the same treaty obligation to execute its warrants.

US law also limits several forms of federal cooperation with the ICC, although Congress has created exceptions permitting assistance in certain cases, including investigations involving Russian actions in Ukraine.

Khanna’s proposal would therefore require a significant change in US policy and potentially new legal authority rather than the routine execution of an arrest warrant by American police.

The Trump administration has strongly opposed the ICC’s actions against Israeli officials.

Khanna’s remarks came days after Trump publicly assured Netanyahu that he would not be detained during a future visit to the US.

“Benjamin Netanyahu will not be arrested, in any way, shape, or form, while in the United States of America,” Trump wrote Monday.

The statement followed renewed calls from Mamdani to enforce the ICC warrant when Netanyahu travels to New York for the United Nations General Assembly.

Mamdani had pledged during his mayoral campaign to have Netanyahu arrested if he entered the city. After taking office, however, his administration concluded that New York City did not possess independent legal authority to enforce the international court’s warrant.

“It is clear that we do not have the independent legal authority to enforce this warrant,” Mamdani said in a video statement.

“The federal government however does and I call on them to join the ICC and execute this warrant,” he added.

Mamdani also called Netanyahu a “war criminal” and declared that the Israeli leader was not welcome in New York.

Israel’s diplomatic mission responded by calling the ICC a “kangaroo court” and its warrant against Netanyahu “bogus.” Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon accused Mamdani of spreading Hamas propaganda and told him to concentrate on governing New York.

Khanna’s call for Netanyahu’s arrest follows a July visit to Judea and Samaria during which he claimed that armed Israeli civilians blocked his delegation’s vehicle, preventing him from entering a closed military zone.

Benjamin NetanyahuICC arrest warrantRo Khanna