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Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic candidate for New York City mayor, announced during a recent interview that if he wins, he would instruct NYPD officers to arrest Israel’s prime minister should he set foot in the city. Mamdani described Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a war criminal responsible for genocide in Gaza. He stated that if Netanyahu visits New York, he would carry out the arrest order issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) by directing police to detain him at the airport.
Legal experts have cautioned that such actions would be highly unlikely and possibly violate federal law. Despite this, Mamdani remains firm, asserting, “This is something I intend to follow through on. I want this city to stand for international law.”
It’s important to note that the United States does not recognize the ICC’s jurisdiction, and President Donald Trump imposed measures against the court in February after it issued the arrest warrant for Netanyahu, claiming the court lacked authority over the U.S. and Israel.
Netanyahu has dismissed the threats, calling Mamdani’s proposal “silly in many ways” during a meeting with Trump at the White House, and adding, “I’ll come with President Trump, and we’ll see.” Trump echoed the sentiments, warning Mamdani to “behave,” implying that any misstep could lead to serious consequences.
The ICC warrant accuses Netanyahu of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza, alleging that he and other Israeli officials intentionally deprived civilians of essential resources including food, water, and medicine. Mamdani has argued that Netanyahu made military decisions while in New York that resulted in civilian casualties in the Middle East.
A recent survey conducted by The New York Times and Siena College showed that New Yorkers broadly support Mamdani’s stance on Israel and the conflict. Among likely Jewish voters, Mamdani led narrowly at around 30%, closely followed by incumbent Mayor Eric Adams and former Governor Andrew Cuomo.
Cuomo, Mamdani’s main opponent, has been a vocal supporter of Israel and even volunteered to join Netanyahu’s legal team last November, shortly after the ICC issued its warrant.
Trump commented Friday that Mayor Adams’ ongoing reelection campaign makes it unlikely for anyone to defeat Mamdani but also stated that Adams is “free to do what he wants.” He added, “If he (Adams) remains in the race, especially against Mamdani, victory seems unlikely.” Trump also suggested Cuomo might have a better chance if it’s a one-on-one race, but with multiple candidates, the competition would be tougher.
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