New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani again called on the federal government to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this week, branding the visiting head of state a "war criminal" as Netanyahu prepares to address the United Nations General Assembly in Manhattan.
Mamdani has repeated the demand since acknowledging in July that his own administration lacks the legal authority to execute the International Criminal Court's 2024 warrant against Netanyahu, urging Washington to "join the ICC and execute this warrant" instead. President Donald Trump has flatly rejected the idea, saying Netanyahu will not be arrested "in any way, shape, or form" while on American soil.
The renewed attack lands awkwardly for Mamdani days after he hosted Trump for a notably cordial press appearance at Gracie Mansion, where the president praised the mayor's "great potential." Critics say the contrast exposes a mayor eager to project moderation toward Trump while reserving his sharpest rhetoric for a longtime American ally.
The ICC issued its arrest warrant for Netanyahu in November 2024. The United States is not a party to the Rome Statute and does not recognize ICC jurisdiction.
Israel's ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, has previously accused Mamdani of trading "blood libels" for attention, telling him to "do your job" rather than target a foreign leader. Jewish groups including AIPAC have similarly condemned the mayor's language as inflammatory.
Netanyahu has dismissed the ICC charges as "bogus" and accused Mamdani of "fomenting hate" against New York's Jewish community. Whether Mamdani's federal appeal gains any traction in Washington remains to be seen, but Netanyahu is expected in the city regardless.
