New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani stated on a New York Times podcast that he was examining the legal possibilities of ordering the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should the latter visit the city for the United Nations General Assembly in September. Mamdani characterized Netanyahu as a war criminal, referencing an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court in November 2024 related to alleged crimes in Gaza.
Mamdani indicated uncertainty about his authority to direct the New York Police Department to detain a foreign leader but said his administration was in active discussions with the city’s law department. He emphasized that his office would act within the bounds of existing law rather than creating new legal frameworks. The mayor reiterated positions he had taken during his mayoral campaign, when he described Israeli military operations in Gaza as genocide and pledged to arrest Netanyahu if given the opportunity.
Legal experts previously assessed that such an arrest would be “a practical impossibility” for Mamdani and could create conflict with the federal government. The United States is not a party to the ICC and does not recognize its authority. The Trump administration has taken a more adversarial stance toward the court, with the president imposing economic sanctions against it in February 2025 and Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently pledging to “dismantle” it.
Netanyahu dismissed the arrest threats in a recent radio appearance and alleged that Mamdani supports Hamas, a claim Mamdani denied. Israel’s UN Ambassador Danny Danon accused Mamdani of failing to address antisemitism in the city, while Trump’s UN Ambassador Mike Waltz dismissed the threat as “pure political theater.” Mamdani countered accusations regarding antisemitism by citing increased funding for an office combating hate crimes. His stance reflects a broader shift within segments of the Democratic Party, with nearly half of House Democrats voting to strip military aid to Israel earlier in the week, though the measure did not pass.
Originally reported by The Guardian. Read the full story →