Zohran Mamdani considers arresting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the United Nations General Assembly in September.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is exploring whether the city has the legal authority to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his visit for the United Nations General Assembly this September. Mamdani, a Democratic socialist, labeled Netanyahu a "war criminal" who belongs in The Hague following the International Criminal Court's issuance of an arrest warrant. However, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz dismissed the move as "pure political theater." Waltz noted that the U.S. is not a party to the Rome Statute, and that head-of-state immunity and federal authority typically trump a local mayor's wishes. While Mamdani's administration is consulting with the city's Law Department to determine the legal prospects of a local arrest, many former prosecutors warn that such an action could violate federal law. Israeli officials have largely rejected the war crime allegations, with Ambassador Danny Danon suggesting that Mamdani should focus more on local governance rather than conducting foreign policy.

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