New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Friday he is actively exploring whether he has the legal authority to arrest Isr...

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Friday he is actively exploring whether he has the legal authority to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when Netanyahu visits New York for the UN General Assembly this September. Mamdani told the New York Times that he believes Netanyahu's place is in The Hague, calling him "a war criminal who is being prosecuted with an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court." Mamdani acknowledged he is unsure whether city law gives him the power to detain a foreign leader, saying he is consulting with New York authorities on the matter. He added that he will do whatever the law allows him to do within the city. The mayor had previously pledged to send NYPD officers to execute ICC warrants against wanted leaders, naming both Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin as examples. The ICC, based in The Hague, issued arrest warrants against Netanyahu for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza, following Israel's military campaign launched in response to Hamas's October 7, 2023 attacks on Israeli territory. Netanyahu, speaking to a New York radio station, fired back at Mamdani directly, accusing the mayor of supporting Hamas and saying he believes Mamdani "deep down hates the United States." Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon also responded sharply, accusing Mamdani of choosing to "fuel hostility and chase headlines by attacking the State of Israel." Danon posted on X that Netanyahu will attend the General Assembly regardless, saying the prime minister "will speak with pride before the UN General Assembly and will proclaim to the entire world the truth of Israel and its non-negotiable right to defend its citizens." Mamdani, who comes from the left wing of the Democratic Party, has previously described Israel as an "apartheid regime" and called the Gaza campaign a "genocide," while also repeatedly stating his opposition to antisemitism. #Netanyahu #NYC #UnitedNations