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Far-left New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said his administration is actively exploring whether the city has the legal authority to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he visits New York for this month’s United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), escalating one of his sharpest criticisms yet of the foreign leader.
In remarks first reported by The New York Times, Mamdani called Netanyahu a “war criminal” who “belongs in the Hague” and said his administration is in an “active conversation” with the city’s Law Department over what legal authority New York City possesses should the Israeli prime minister travel to the Big Apple.
The comments from self-described Democratic socialist Mamdani raises questions about the limits of a mayor’s authority over foreign affairs and whether New York City could take legal action against a visiting head of government.
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Mamdani said his administration is exploring whether the city has legal authority to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a potential visit for the U.N. General Assembly. (Anna Connors/Pool/Getty Images)
Fox News Digital reached out to the mayor’s office asking whether Mamdani stands by calling Netanyahu a “war criminal,” whether City Hall is actively consulting with the Law Department regarding possible legal action against the Israeli leader, and whether the mayor would direct the NYPD to arrest Netanyahu if attorneys determined the city had legal authority.
The mayor’s office did not immediately respond.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz slammed Mamdani’s remarks as “pure political theater,” saying the mayor has no legal authority to arrest Netanyahu.
In a post on X, Waltz argued that the U.S. is not party to the ICC’s founding treaty, the U.N. Headquarters Agreement protects visiting heads of government, head-of-state immunity applies and “federal authority trumps any local mayor’s wishes.”
The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in November 2024, over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity tied to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
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New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said his administration is exploring whether the city has legal authority to arrest Netanyahu if he visits for the U.N. General Assembly. (Ronen Zvulun/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)
Israel has rejected the allegations and disputes the court’s jurisdiction, while the U.S. is not a party to the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC.
The issue has become increasingly contentious as world leaders weigh whether they would act on the warrant if Netanyahu enters their countries.
The United Nations General Assembly annually brings dozens of heads of state and government to New York, creating unique diplomatic and security considerations for the city.
The comments are likely to intensify scrutiny of Mamdani’s foreign policy positions, particularly regarding Israel, which became a flashpoint during his mayoral campaign.
Israeli officials have repeatedly rejected allegations that Netanyahu committed war crimes, arguing Israel is acting in self-defense following Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack.
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New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaking with inmates on Rikers Island while they watch a World Cup semifinal soccer match on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, in New York.
Mamdani’s office has not yet publicly detailed any legal analysis supporting the idea that New York City or the NYPD could independently execute an international arrest warrant against a visiting foreign head of government, though Fox News Digital has requested further details.
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Mamdani’s remarks are the latest example of his administration venturing into international affairs.
Earlier this year, the State Department stepped in to halt a planned meeting between a senior Mamdani administration official and Iran’s U.N. ambassador, stressing the role of federal, not local government to conduct U.S. foreign policy.
Fox News Digital’s Morgan Phillips contributed to this reporting.
