Mamdani says he is studying arresting Netanyahu during UN General Assembly

New York City Mayor Zahran Mamdani announced in an interview published Saturday that he is holding talks about the possibility of arresting the Israeli prime minister during the upcoming UN General Assembly, sparking sharp criticism from Benjamin Netanyahu's camp.

Mamdani said in an interview with the New York Times, "I believe Prime Minister Netanyahu's place is in The Hague; he is a war criminal who has been indicted by the International Criminal Court."

The leftist official, who has described Israel as an "apartheid system," added, "This is an opinion shared by many, simply because of what his actions have led to over the past many years."

But Mamdani acknowledged that he is not sure whether he has the authority to order the New York Police Department to arrest a foreign official, noting that he is discussing the matter with the city's legal team.

He said, "Whatever the law allows me to do in New York City, that is what we will do."

The UN General Assembly is held in September at the United Nations headquarters in New York.

Mamdani has previously pledged to send the NYPD to enforce arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court against leaders it pursues, including Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The International Criminal Court, based in The Hague, announced in 2024 that it has reasonable grounds to believe that Netanyahu is responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity, in the context of the Israeli attack on Gaza following the unprecedented Hamas attack on October 7, 2023.

Danny Danon, Israel's ambassador to the UN, quickly criticized Zahran Mamdani.

He wrote on X: "Instead of focusing on his responsibilities as mayor and confronting the rising wave of anti-Semitism in his city, he chose to incite hostility and make headlines by attacking the State of Israel."

He added, "That won't change anything; Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu will come to New York, deliver a speech at the UN General Assembly with pride, and stand before the world to declare the truth of Israel and its inherent right to defend its citizens."

Danon continued, "If anyone should be arrested, it is Zahran Mamdani."

Netanyahu has previously accused Mamdani of supporting Hamas, and recently said on a radio program broadcast in New York, "I think he hates America deep down."