Zohran Mamdani expresses desire to arrest Benjamin Netanyahu for war crimes during his upcoming visit to New York City.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani stated that he believes Benjamin Netanyahu should be arrested for war crimes during his visit to the city for the United Nations General Assembly in September. Mamdani, a democratic socialist, noted that while he views Netanyahu as a war criminal charged by the International Criminal Court, he intends to follow existing city laws rather than creating new ones to facilitate the arrest. The mayor is currently consulting with the city's legal department to determine the extent of his authority to enforce the arrest. While legal experts have suggested the threat may be baseless due to federal laws regarding foreign heads of state, Mamdani remains committed to the goal. In response, Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, defended Netanyahu and suggested that Mamdani should be the one arrested for failing to focus on local responsibilities. The comments highlight a growing shift within the Democratic Party, where nearly half of the members of the US House of Representatives recently voted to end US aid to Israel.