New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani reveals he's 'in active conversations' with local law enforcement to arrest Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of UN conference

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani told The New York Times that he is currently holding active discussions with local law enforcement about the possibility of arresting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he sets foot in Manhattan.

Mamdani said he believes Netanyahu “belongs in The Hague” and described him as “a war criminal who has been charged by the International Criminal Court.” He added that this view is widely shared because of the prime minister’s actions in recent years.

The mayor stressed, however, that any steps taken would strictly follow New York City’s existing laws. “Whatever the law allows me to do in New York City, that’s what we will do,” he stated. “But we won’t be writing our own laws to that end.” He noted that figuring out the precise legal limits remains “an active conversation with our legal department.”

Mamdani also observed that attempts to bypass legal boundaries appear at the national level but said New York has no interest in following that approach. He emphasized that his position is based on the International Criminal Court’s warrant rather than any personal judgment.

The comments come ahead of the United Nations General Assembly in September, where Netanyahu is expected to appear. Israel’s ambassador to the UN has confirmed the prime minister’s planned attendance despite earlier statements from Mamdani.

The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu in late 2024 over alleged war crimes. He attended the 2025 General Assembly without incident because the United States is not a member of the court. Mamdani had first voiced his intent to pursue an arrest while campaigning for mayor late last year.