New York Mayor Says Exploring Legal Options for Netanyahu Arrest

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has said he is exploring legal avenues to potentially arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should he visit the city. In an interview with The New York Times published on Saturday, Mamdani reiterated his view that Netanyahu, who is the subject of an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant for possible crimes against humanity in Gaza, must be brought to justice.

"I believe that Prime Minister Netanyahu belongs in The Hague," Mamdani told The Interview, a show produced by the NYT. "He's a war criminal who has been charged by the International Criminal Court," he added. "And what you will find is that is an opinion that is held by many, purely because of what his actions have wrought over these last many years."

Mamdani, a democratic socialist who has emerged as an outspoken supporter of the Palestinian cause, pledged to arrest Netanyahu if he came to New York City during his mayoral campaign. Some questioned the feasibility of that promise. The mayor said that he was in "active conversation" with the city's law department about whether he has the authority to have Netanyahu arrested, should he travel to New York. "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.

Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, insisted that Netanyahu will be at the UN General Assembly meeting in New York this September, despite the threats of arrest. During his campaign for mayor, Mamdani was the target of frequent Islamophobic vitriol and insults. His election to mayor and his continued calls for accountability regarding Netanyahu point to a dramatic swing among Democratic voters away from Israel.

According to Mehr News, the report also noted that Mamdani's stance reflects growing support for the Palestinian cause among some U.S. politicians.