New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said his administration is examining whether the city has the legal authority to detain Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he travels to New York for the United Nations General Assembly in September.
Mamdani said the question is being reviewed by the city’s Law Department, and that discussions remain ongoing over what powers, if any, are available to the mayor and the New York Police Department.
Speaking on The Interview, a New York Times program hosted by Lulu Garcia-Navarro, Mamdani reiterated his criticism of the Israeli leader while acknowledging that the legal issues have not been resolved.
“I believe that Prime Minister Netanyahu belongs in The Hague,” Mamdani said. “He’s a war criminal who has been charged by the International Criminal Court. And what you will find is that is an opinion that is held by many, purely because of what his actions have wrought over these last many years.”
Although the New York Police Department operates under the mayor’s authority, Mamdani said he does not know whether he can instruct officers to arrest a visiting foreign head of government. He described the matter as being in “an active conversation” with the Law Department.
“Whatever the law allows me to do in New York City, that’s what we will do, but we won’t be writing our own laws to that end,” he said.
During last year’s mayoral campaign, Mamdani told The New York Times that he would direct the Police Department to arrest Netanyahu should the Israeli prime minister come to the city.
The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, alleging responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity over the conflict in Gaza.
Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, condemned Mamdani’s remarks.
“Mamdani failed in managing the city of New York. Instead of focusing on his responsibility as mayor and confronting the rising wave of antisemitism in his city, he chose to incite hostility and create headlines by attacking the State of Israel.”
Danon added, “The Prime Minister of Israel will come to New York, address the General Assembly of the UN with pride, and stand before the world.”
