New York (AFP) – New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani is in talks over whether to try to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during an upcoming UN summit, he said in an interview published Saturday -- prompting a sharp rebuke from Netanyahu's camp.
"I believe that Prime Minister Netanyahu belongs in The Hague," Mamdani told The New York Times. "He's a war criminal who has been charged by the International Criminal Court."
The leftist Mamdani, who has called Israel an "apartheid regime," added: "That is an opinion that is held by many, purely because of what his actions have wrought over these last many years."
Mamdani admitted he was not sure if he has the power to order the New York Police Department to detain a foreign leader but is discussing the matter with the city's legal team.
"Whatever the law allows me to do in New York City, that's what we will do," he said.
The UN General Assembly, a major gathering of world leaders, takes place in September at UN headquarters in New York.
Mamdani in the past has vowed to send the NYPD to enforce arrest warrants against leaders wanted by the International Criminal Court, including Netanyahu or Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Hague-based ICC said in 2024 that it had reasonable grounds to believe Netanyahu was responsible for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity related to Israel's offensive in Gaza following the unprecedented [...] attack by Hamas.
Danny Danon, Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, quickly called out Mamdani.
"Instead of focusing on his responsibilities as mayor and confronting the rising wave of antisemitism in his city, he has chosen to incite hostility and generate headlines by attacking the State of Israel," Danon wrote on X.
"It will not change a thing. Israeli Prime Minister @netanyahu will come to New York, address the United Nations General Assembly with pride, and stand before the world to state Israel's truth and its unwavering right to defend its citizens," he said.
"And if anyone should be arrested, it is @NYCMayor Zohran Mamdani."
Netanyahu has accused Mamdani of supporting Hamas, saying on a recent New York radio show: "I think, secretly, he hates America."
Just do it. Arrest him and immediately put him on a plane to the Netherlands. Let the ICC deal with him.
Just say you were helping ICE deport a violent individual with a warrant. Force the fascists to justify being against that since that's exactly what they've been claiming ICE is doing, and bypassing the courts to do so.
Hello, Malicious compliance!
honestly, he could frame it to trump as a way to skapegoat the whole iran war onto him and give donald an out. it wouldn't fool anyone with a iq above room temperature but it would def work on MAGAs. but something tells my netanyankydoodle has something on donald thats worse then just him being friends with epstine.
Epstein and Maxwell were both mossad. Bibi has the FULL, UNREDACTED LIST.
he likely has more then a list, he likely has videos, and even trump knows a picture is worth a thousand words.
At this point Donald and all his cronies that voted and supported this genocide should also rot in prison.
Ok, who gonna put them there tho...
Citizens with balls! Imagine a massive US militia surrounding the UN building and taking these scumbags to Rikers island. I mean they always saying this is the reason we need armed citizens and we pay the price with daily school shootings. At least do something good with it.