Mamdani leans toward protest rights as New York City fails to arrest Netanyahu
After New York City failed to find legal means to arrest the Israeli prime minister, Mamdani reminded New Yorkers of their right to protest if the prime minister visits.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he plans to visit New York City to attend the United Nations General Assembly after Mayor Zoran Mamdani said he was not welcome and called for his arrest.
Israel’s prime minister said Mamdani was “inciting hatred” after the city of New York said it was considering ways to arrest Netanyahu but had not found any clear legal means to ultimately detain him. Mamdani then called on the federal government to execute a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court charging Netanyahu with war crimes and crimes against humanity.
In an interview with Fox News on Sunday morning, Prime Minister Netanyahu said Mamdani “should be the mayor of all New Yorkers, Jews, Christians, Muslims.”
“But he’s trying to turn one group against another, and he’s stirring up hatred and fear.”
Mamdani told the New York Times earlier this month that the city’s legal department was weighing options to arrest Netanyahu in New York City ahead of his scheduled appearance at the United Nations in September.
But with no means to force the arrests, Mamdani called on the federal government to take action. Mamdani said last week: “As I have said, I agree with the[International Criminal Court’s]opinion that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should be arrested and tried for his crimes, just like the others indicted by the ICC.”
The ICC warrant, issued in November 2024, charges Netanyahu with war crimes and crimes against humanity as a result of Israel’s military actions in Gaza. But the United States does not recognize the court, and protections are in place for leaders who visit UN headquarters in New York City.
“My administration has considered all avenues available under applicable law to determine whether New York City could execute the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were to come here,” Mamdani said.
“It’s clear that we don’t have independent legal authority to enforce this warrant. But the federal government does.”
President Donald Trump, an ally of Netanyahu, wrote last week that Netanyahu would not be arrested.
“Benyamin Netanyahu is not welcome in New York City, and neither are other war criminals in general,” Mamdani said in a video statement that has received more than 1.3 million likes on X.
“I’m talking to Jewish Americans in New York, and they’re scared right now,” Netanyahu told Fox News this weekend.
“I’m here to tell the truth and represent Israel and the Israeli-American alliance from the platform of the United Nations.”
