Zohran Mamdani, a Democratic candidate for New York City mayor, has made a bold pledge: if elected, he will order the NYPD to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu upon his arrival in the city. In an interview with The New York Times, Mamdani called Netanyahu a “war criminal” responsible for genocide in Gaza.
Mamdani said he would honor the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) arrest warrant against Netanyahu, even though the U.S. is not a member of the ICC and does not recognize its jurisdiction. “If Netanyahu visits New York, I will instruct the police to detain him at the airport,” he said. “This city must stand for international law and human rights.”
Legal experts say such a move is nearly impossible and could violate federal law. Nevertheless, Mamdani stood firm, saying, “I intend to carry this out. New York must not be a safe haven for war criminals.”
The ICC warrant accuses Netanyahu and another senior Israeli official of war crimes and crimes against humanity. It alleges they deliberately deprived Gaza’s civilian population of food, water, and medical supplies. Mamdani argued that even during Netanyahu’s past visits to New York, his military decisions had deadly consequences for civilians in the Middle East.
Netanyahu has dismissed Mamdani’s remarks. In July, he called the idea of his arrest “absurd” and said, “I’ll be in New York with President Trump—then let’s see what happens.” Trump also warned Mamdani to “be careful” or risk “serious trouble.”
Despite the controversy, Mamdani’s stance has gained traction. A recent New York Times–Siena University poll shows he has growing support among NYC voters, including a slight lead among Jewish voters with 30% support—just ahead of current Mayor Eric Adams and former Governor Andrew Cuomo.
Cuomo has positioned himself as a strong supporter of Israel and even offered to join Netanyahu’s legal defense team after the ICC warrant was issued. Trump remarked that Adams’ re-election bid could split the Democratic vote, potentially boosting Mamdani. However, he noted that Cuomo may have a better chance if it’s a one-on-one race.