New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said his administration is reviewing whether Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could be arrested if he travels to New York in September for the United Nations General Assembly, citing the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant against the Israeli leader.
Speaking on The New York Times podcast The Interview, Mamdani said his administration has been consulting with the city’s Law Department about the issue but emphasized that any action would have to comply with applicable law.
“We’re having an active conversation with the Law Department,” Mamdani said, adding that his administration “won’t be writing” its own laws.
Mamdani described Netanyahu as “a war criminal” and said he believes the Israeli prime minister “belongs in The Hague.”
“He’s a war criminal who has been charged by the International Criminal Court,” Mamdani said. “That is an opinion that is held by many, purely because of what his actions have wrought over these last many years.”
The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in 2024 for Netanyahu, former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and several Hamas leaders as part of its investigation into alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity related to the conflict in Gaza.
Israel rejects the allegations against its leaders, disputes the ICC’s jurisdiction over the matter and has criticized the court’s actions.
Netanyahu responded to Mamdani’s remarks during a radio interview, arguing that the mayor should focus his criticism elsewhere.
“I think he should look at who he’s condemning, who he’s praising,” Netanyahu said. “He’s condemning Israel, the one democracy that stands shoulder to shoulder with American values.”
Mamdani has previously stated that he would pursue legal avenues regarding Netanyahu’s potential visit to New York.
During a Fox News interview in October 2025, Mamdani said he would “exhaust every legal option” available if Netanyahu traveled to the city.
Netanyahu is expected to attend the annual United Nations General Assembly in New York in September, where world leaders traditionally gather for high-level meetings and speeches.
Whether local authorities could legally arrest a sitting foreign head of government under an ICC warrant remains a complex legal question involving U.S. law, international treaties and diplomatic immunity.
The United States is not a party to the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the International Criminal Court, and is not obligated to enforce ICC arrest warrants, per Breitbart News.
Federal law generally governs foreign relations and the treatment of foreign officials visiting the United States, while diplomatic protections may apply depending on the circumstances of a visit.
Mamdani did not specify what legal authority his administration believes could support such an arrest, and no decision has been announced.
The comments come amid continuing divisions over the Israel-Hamas war and the role of the International Criminal Court. Supporters of the ICC argue that its warrants are an important mechanism for enforcing international law, while critics contend the court has exceeded its authority and acted selectively in high-profile international conflicts.
