New York City Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani has pledged to order the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he visits the city while Mamdani is in office.
Mamdani made the statement in an interview with The New York Times published on Friday. He said he would instruct the New York Police Department to detain Netanyahu, citing an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant for alleged war crimes in Gaza. Mamdani called Netanyahu “a war criminal committing genocide in Gaza.”
The New York State Assembly member repeated the vow from earlier comments during his primary campaign. In December, he said New York City should act “to align the city with international law.” Mamdani became the presumptive Democratic nominee after winning the June primary and is a leading candidate in the November mayoral election. Recent polls show him ahead of rivals, with strong support among voters critical of Israel’s actions in Gaza.
Legal experts say the pledge is unlikely to be enforced. The United States is not a member of the ICC, and foreign leaders such as Netanyahu hold diplomatic immunity when visiting events like the United Nations General Assembly. City mayors also lack the legal power to order the arrest of foreign heads of state, and any attempt would conflict with federal law.
Netanyahu dismissed the threat as “not serious” and confirmed plans to visit New York next year. Former U.S. President Donald Trump said he would “get him out” if needed.
The proposal has drawn mixed reactions in New York, home to the second-largest Jewish population outside Israel. Polls show growing sympathy for Palestinians amid the Israel-Hamas war, but some Jewish voters have expressed concern over Mamdani’s past remarks, including his initial refusal to condemn the slogan “globalize the intifada,” which he later discouraged.
Mamdani continues to highlight his progressive platform, including criticism of Israel’s military actions, while acknowledging the United States’ non-membership in the ICC. The Department of Justice has declined to comment on his statement.
