Mamdani vows to order Netanyahu’s arrest if elected mayor of New York

Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani has said that if elected mayor of New York City, he would order the arrest of Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu if he visited.

Speaking to The New York Times on Thursday, the politician said he would honour the International Criminal Court's (ICC) arrest warrant and have Netanyahu arrested by having him apprehended at the airport.

"This is something that I intend to fulfil," Mamdani told the newspaper. "It is my desire to ensure that this be a city that stands up for international law."

"This is a moment where we cannot look to the federal government for leadership. This is a moment when cities and states will have to demonstrate what it actually looks like to stand up for our own values, our own people."

Mamdani, who has denounced Israel over its genocidal war on Gaza throughout his campaign, also said he would arrest Vladimir Putin, whom the ICC issued an arrest warrant for in 2023 over Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The politician also said a similar thing to Zeteo in July, where he also vowed to order an arrest for Netanyahu should he enter the state. Mamdani had argued that the prime minister had made military decisions in New York that had resulted in civilian deaths in the Middle East.

Netanyahu has previously dismissed Mamdani's comments, saying he was not worried and called the idea of an arrest "silly".

The ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, November 2024 a move that sparked condemnation from Israel and its ally, the US.

The court accused the Israeli officials of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza, alleging that they "intentionally and knowingly deprived the civilian population in Gaza of objects indispensable to their survival, including food, water, and medicine".

As the US is not a member of the ICC, it does not recognise its authority, with US President Trump denouncing the arrest and imposing sanctions against the court.

Since 2023, Mamdani has condemned Israeli apartheid by supporting the BDS movement and introducing a state assembly bill to prevent registered charities from donating to organisations involved in illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, later adding organisations aiding alleged war crimes in the Gaza Strip.

The nominee has said he believed Israel was committing genocide in Gaza and was previously arrested during a pro-Palestine ceasefire demonstration, a week after the 7 October attacks.

Mamdani was confirmed as the Democratic candidate for New York mayor in July, defeating pro-Israel rival Andrew Cuomo.