Mamdani says exploring options to arrest Netanyahu ahead of NYC visit
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New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he is actively consulting with city authorities on whether he can direct the arrest of ‘Israeli’ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if the leader visits New York for the United Nations General Assembly in September.
Mamdani, a Democratic socialist who took office earlier in 2026, has made the issue a signature stance rooted in his criticism of ‘Israel’s’ assault on Gaza.
In comments to The New York Times, Mamdani emphasized operating strictly within legal bounds.
“Whatever the law allows me to do in New York City, that’s what we will do, but we won’t be writing our own laws to that end,” he said, adding that he is engaged in “an active conversation” with the city’s Law Department.
Mamdani has repeatedly described Netanyahu as a war criminal and stated his belief that the prime minister “belongs in the Hague,” referring to the International Criminal Court (ICC), which issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu in late 2024 over war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
The mayor has vowed to explore “every legal possibility” to uphold the ICC warrant, comparing it to similar warrants for figures like Vladimir Putin.
“I believe this is a city of international law,” Mamdani has said, framing the potential action as a demonstration of New York’s values where federal leadership has fallen short.
Legal experts widely view such an arrest as highly improbable. The United States is not a party to the ICC, and federal laws prohibit local authorities from enforcing its warrants or obstructing foreign officials, including heads of state.
Netanyahu is expected to attend the UN General Assembly, though ‘Israeli’ officials have downplayed the mayor’s threats as non-issues for travel planning.
