Mamdani floats Netanyahu arrest if he comes to New York
The NYC mayor said he is consulting city lawyers over Benjamin Netanyahu, drawing a sharp rebuke from U.N. Ambassador Mike Waltz.
By Bianca Rossi · Entertainment Editor
3 min read
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani says Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could face arrest if he comes to the city, tying the warning to the International Criminal Court case over Gaza.
Mamdani made the remarks in an interview Friday with The New York Times, according to the report, calling Netanyahu a war criminal and saying the Israeli leader “belongs in The Hague.” The Hague is home to the International Criminal Court, where Netanyahu is wanted on an arrest warrant and has been charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity connected to the Gaza Strip.
The mayor said he has been speaking with New York City’s law department about whether there would be any legal basis for action if Netanyahu enters the city, according to the Times interview.
The comments land with the United Nations General Assembly session approaching in September. Netanyahu could travel to New York for the gathering, putting Mamdani’s position in direct contact with the legal protections and diplomatic rules surrounding visiting world leaders.
Legal fight meets U.N. season
Mamdani’s comments raise a central question: what power, if any, does a city have to act against the sitting head of a foreign government who is in New York for United Nations business?
Mike Waltz, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, rejected the idea in a post on X, calling Mamdani’s remarks “pure political theater.” Waltz argued that an arrest would not happen because of diplomatic protections around U.N. visits.
In his post, Waltz cited two points: the United States is not a party to the Rome Statute, the treaty behind the International Criminal Court, and the U.N. Headquarters Agreement gives protections to visiting heads of government. Waltz said those protections shield such leaders from arrest while they are in New York for U.N. business.
The U.N. Headquarters Agreement was also cited in reporting on Waltz’s response as a barrier to any attempt by local authorities to detain Netanyahu during a General Assembly visit.
Netanyahu case at the ICC
The International Criminal Court has issued a warrant for Netanyahu, according to the reporting cited by Mamdani’s remarks. The charges against him include war crimes and crimes against humanity related to the Gaza Strip.
Mamdani used that case to frame his position, saying Netanyahu should be at the court in The Hague. The mayor did not announce any formal city action, and his comments described discussions with the city’s law department about possible legal grounds.
A response from Netanyahu to Mamdani’s remarks was not reported. The legal and diplomatic question may become more immediate if Netanyahu travels to New York for the U.N. General Assembly in September.
This story draws on original reporting from TMZ.