‘He’s a war criminal’: Mamdani exploring whether he can arrest Netanyahu if he visits New York

Key Points:

• New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is reviewing whether his administration can legally arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his expected visit to the UN General Assembly in September, citing an ICC arrest warrant for alleged war crimes in Gaza.
• Mamdani described Netanyahu as a war criminal charged by the International Criminal Court (ICC), but acknowledged uncertainty about his legal authority to detain a foreign leader in New York City and is consulting with the city’s law department.
• The US does not recognize the ICC’s jurisdiction, and legal experts have called any attempt to arrest Netanyahu in New York practically impossible and potentially in conflict with the federal government.
• Netanyahu dismissed Mamdani’s arrest threats and accused him of supporting Hamas, while Israeli and US officials criticized Mamdani’s stance as politically motivated and harmful to US-Israel relations.
• Mamdani’s critical position on Israel reflects a growing shift within the Democratic Party, as evidenced by recent votes to reduce military aid to Israel and changing public opinion on the conflict in Gaza.