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Arrest talk for UN visit
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said his administration is examining whether it has any legal authority to act if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visits the city for the United Nations general assembly in September.
“New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has said that he is consulting with city authorities over the possibility of arresting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he visits the city for the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in September”
Mamdani told The New York Times that discussions were underway with the city’s legal team, adding, "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."
The Times of India reported that Mamdani reiterated his criticism of Netanyahu, saying, "I believe that Prime Minister Netanyahu belongs in the Hague."
The same reporting tied the mayor’s stance to the International Criminal Court (ICC), which issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant over allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity during Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
The Times of India also said the ICC’s findings were based on evidence gathered through May 2024, and that the warrants allege starvation as a method of warfare by restricting the flow of essential humanitarian supplies into Gaza.
Israeli pushback and quotes
The Israeli ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, responded to Mamdani’s arrest consideration by saying he chose to "stir up hostility and make headlines by taking on the State of Israel."
In the same account, Danon said, "This will change nothing. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will go to New York, speak with pride before the United Nations General Assembly, and tell the world the truth about Israel as well as its unwavering right to defend its citizens," on X.
Mamdani, meanwhile, told The New York Times that he did not know whether he had the power to detain a foreign leader such as Netanyahu, noting he was engaged in "active discussions" with New York authorities on the matter.
Al Jazeera reported that Mamdani said, "I believe that Prime Minister Netanyahu belongs in the Hague," and added, "He's a war criminal who has been charged by the International Criminal Court," in the interview.
Al Jazeera also reported that Netanyahu told radio personality Sid Rosenberg that he thinks Mamdani secretly "hates America," while Danon insisted Netanyahu will still attend the UNGA meeting in New York this September.
What’s at stake next
The Times of India said the ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant in November 2024, alleging they committed war crimes and crimes against humanity during Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
“The mayor of New York says he is examining legal options to arrest the Israeli prime minister if he attends the UN in September, sparking a firm reaction from Tel Aviv”
It also said Israel rejects the allegations and that Netanyahu’s office described the ICC’s allegations as "absurd and false," while Gallant rejected the ruling as a "dangerous precedent against a country's right to self-defence."
i24NEWS reported that any attempt by New York authorities to enforce the warrant would face major legal obstacles, noting that the United States is not a party to the Rome Statute establishing the ICC and does not recognize the court’s jurisdiction.
i24NEWS further said New York Governor Kathy Hochul has previously said the mayor lacks the authority to arrest Netanyahu, framing the mayor’s plan as constrained by existing legal limits.
In parallel, The Jerusalem Post argued that Mamdani conceded to The New York Times that he is not sure he has the authority, and quoted Mamdani saying, "we won't be writing our own laws."
