New York Mayor Zoran Mamdani Sparks Diplomatic Row Over Threat to Arrest Netanyahu

New York Mayor Zoran Mamdani has ignited a diplomatic controversy with statements about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In a detailed interview with The New York Times, Mamdani revealed ongoing discussions with the city's legal department to explore whether he has the authority to order Netanyahu's arrest during his expected visit to New York in September for the United Nations General Assembly. Mamdani, known for his strong anti-Israel stance, based his position on arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in 2024, calling Netanyahu a "war criminal" who belongs in The Hague.

However, Mamdani acknowledged that he cannot create new laws and can only act within existing New York City legal frameworks. His claims conflict with international law and diplomatic norms, as the United States is not a party to the Rome Statute and does not recognize ICC rulings. Additionally, foreign leaders enjoy full diplomatic immunity during official visits, and local authorities have no legal power to detain them.

Israeli officials swiftly condemned Mamdani's threats. Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon dismissed the mayor's threats as baseless and accused him of distracting from rising antisemitism in New York. Danon sarcastically suggested that Mamdani himself should be arrested. Israeli Consul in New York, Ofir Akunis, also emphasized that Mamdani lacks any legal authority to act against Netanyahu and should focus on managing the city.

The controversy deepened amid public criticism of Mamdani's wife, Syrian-American artist Rama Douaji, who faced backlash for social media posts supporting Palestinian groups and criticizing Israel and the US. Douaji apologized after liking a post denying Hamas's October 7 massacre. Mamdani defended her as an independent artist and claimed the criticism stems solely from her marriage to him.

Prime Minister Netanyahu responded sharply, accusing Mamdani of supporting Hamas, a terrorist organization responsible for the worst massacre since the Holocaust. Netanyahu highlighted Israel as the only democracy in the Middle East sharing values with the US and accused Mamdani of hating both Israel and America. Netanyahu affirmed he will attend the UN assembly as planned to present Israel's truth to the world.