New York City Mayor, Zohran Mamdani has reignited controversy over his long standing pledge to have Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrested should he set foot in the city, saying his administration is actively examining whether it has the legal authority to do so ahead of the United Nations General Assembly in September.

Speaking in an interview, Mamdani declared that he believes Netanyahu belongs in The Hague, describing the Israeli leader as a war criminal who has been formally charged by the International Criminal Court.

The mayor said he was engaged in an ongoing conversation with New York City’s law department to determine the scope of his authority to order the police to detain a visiting head of government, while acknowledging that it remains unclear whether such power actually exists under current law.

Mamdani insisted, however, that whatever the law permits him to do in New York, his administration intends to pursue, framing the stance as consistent with the city’s commitment to international legal norms.

The Hague based ICC issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu in November 2024 over allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity connected to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, which followed the Hamas led attack on Israel in October 2023.

Israel has firmly rejected both the accusations and the court’s jurisdiction over its officials, and any attempt by city authorities to enforce the warrant would face steep legal obstacles, given that the United States is not a signatory to the treaty establishing the ICC and does not recognise its authority.

Mamdani’s renewed comments drew a sharp response from Israel’s Consul General in New York, who dismissed the mayor’s remarks and said he had no legal authority to act on the matter, urging him instead to focus on running the city.

New York Governor, Kathy Hochul has previously stated publicly that the mayor does not possess the power to carry out such an arrest, while legal experts have similarly cast doubt on the feasibility of the threat.

Mamdani first raised the possibility of arresting Netanyahu during his mayoral campaign, a position that drew condemnation at the time from President Donald Trump, who warned he would intervene if any such attempt were made.

Photo Credit: France 24