NYC Mayor Mamdani Considers Legal Options for Netanyahu Arrest During UN Visit

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani stated on Saturday that his office is evaluating the legal feasibility of detaining Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the UN General Assembly in September, as reported by The New York Times and Anadolu.

“Prime Minister Netanyahu deserves to face justice at The Hague,” Mamdani said during an interview on The New York Times’ The Interview podcast with Lulu Garcia-Navarro. “He is a war criminal indicted by the International Criminal Court.”

The mayor confirmed ongoing discussions with the New York City Law Department to determine whether he possesses the authority to direct the New York Police Department to arrest a visiting foreign leader.

“We will act within the bounds of the law, but we cannot enforce our own legislation in this matter,” Mamdani added.

Mamdani previously pledged during his mayoral campaign to implement the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant against Netanyahu should the Israeli leader travel to New York.

Netanyahu rejected the possibility in a recent interview with radio host Sid Rosenberg, alleging Mamdani supports Hamas.

“He should examine who he condemns and who he commends,” Netanyahu said. “He criticizes Israel, the sole democracy aligned with American values.”

Mamdani has consistently criticized Israel’s military operations in Gaza while simultaneously denouncing Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on Israel.

During the interview, Mamdani also condemned U.S. policy toward Gaza, calling it “a manifestly failed approach to Gaza and Palestine.” He voiced support for Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s potential 2028 presidential bid, defended NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch’s tenure, criticized President Donald Trump’s immigration policies while advocating collaboration on major criminal cases, and emphasized affordability as the top concern for New Yorkers.

Source link