NYC Mayor Weighs Arresting Netanyahu Over ICC Warrant

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani stated he is seriously evaluating the city's authority to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should he attend the UN General Assembly in September. Mamdani reiterated his stance from his mayoral campaign, asserting that Netanyahu "should be sent to The Hague," the seat of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

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I think Netanyahu should be sent to The Hague.

Mamdani's position is rooted in the ICC's November 2024 arrest warrant for Netanyahu, accusing him of war crimes in the Gaza Strip. The mayor emphasized that Netanyahu is an "accused war criminal" by the ICC, a sentiment he believes is widely shared due to the Prime Minister's past actions. However, Mamdani acknowledged uncertainty regarding his legal power to order the New York Police Department to detain a foreign leader, noting ongoing "active discussions" with the city's legal department.

The ICC has issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and other senior Israeli officials, citing alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza, including the use of starvation as a weapon. During his mayoral campaign, Mamdani characterized Israel's military actions in Gaza as genocide and labeled Netanyahu a war criminal. He previously stated in September that he would order Netanyahu's arrest if he set foot in New York.

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He is an accused war criminal by the International Criminal Court; you will find that this is a consensus of many people, entirely because of what he has done over the years.

Legal experts have previously suggested that arresting Netanyahu would be a "practically impossible task" for Mamdani and could lead to direct conflict with the U.S. federal government. The United States, not a party to the ICC, does not recognize its jurisdiction. Former President Trump's administration even imposed sanctions on the ICC, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio has vowed to "dismantle" the court, accusing it of waging war against the U.S. through international law.

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As long as New York City law allows me to do what I can do, we will do it. But we will not change the law for this.

Netanyahu, facing a challenging re-election campaign in October, has dismissed Mamdani's threat, expressing no concern. He has accused Mamdani of supporting Hamas, claiming the mayor fails to recognize or care that those who hate Jews and Israel ultimately hate America. Israel's UN Ambassador Danny Danon criticized Mamdani, as the city's first Muslim mayor, for not adequately addressing rising antisemitism in New York. Mamdani countered by highlighting increased budget allocations for combating hate crimes. Danon affirmed that Netanyahu will address the UN General Assembly with honor to present Israel's truth and its right to defend its citizens.

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I think the issue is that he doesn't recognize and doesn't care that those who hate Jews and Israel ultimately hate America.