New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani threatens to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a September visit to the city.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani stated that his administration is exploring the legal possibility of arresting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the prime minister's expected visit to New York for the United Nations General Assembly in September. Mamdani, who characterized Netanyahu as a "war criminal" during a New York Times interview, noted that his legal department is in active conversation regarding the International Criminal Court's arrest warrant. The threat has drawn criticism from both Israeli officials and U.S. leaders. Netanyahu's office dismissed the warrant as a "kangaroo court" move and accused Mamdani of using the threat to distract from his own local policies. Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and U.S. Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz both described the move as "political theater," noting that the U.S. is not a member of the International Criminal Court. Furthermore, the administration announced economic sanctions against the court earlier this year, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio vowing to dismantle the institution.