Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said this week that New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani would not prevent him from visiting the city. Mamdani, who will take office on Jan. 1, has said he intends to honor the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant for Netanyahu, issued over alleged war crimes connected to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza following the Hamas-led attacks in southern Israel in 2023.
Legal experts have widely questioned whether a municipal official has any authority to detain a foreign head of government.
Speaking virtually on Dec. 3 at the New York Times DealBook conference, Netanyahu said he planned to visit New York regardless.
“Why don’t you wait and see?” asked Netanyahu. “Yes, I’ll come to New York.”
Mamdani, a democratic socialist, has been a longstanding critic of Israel’s policies toward Palestinians and has faced accusations of antisemitism from some adversaries over his positions on the Middle East conflict, USA Today reported.
He has said he recognizes Israel’s right to exist, though not specifically as a Jewish state, but as a state guaranteeing equal rights for all. Amid Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, Mamdani told The New York Times that he would comply with international arrest warrants issued for Netanyahu and for Russian President Vladimir Putin, who faces an ICC warrant related to alleged war crimes in Ukraine.
“It is my desire to ensure that this be a city that stands up for international law,” Mamdani told the Times in September.
The ICC, however, has no authority or jurisdiction in the United States, the Trump administration has repeatedly noted, adding that federal law prohibits the imprisonment and obstruction of foreign officials, including heads of state.
Meanwhile, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) said Thursday that Mamdani does not have the authority to arrest Netanyahu, responding to Mamdani’s repeated public statements that he would comply with the international arrest warrant should Netanyahu visit the city.
Hochul’s comments came as she sought to distance herself from several of Mamdani’s positions on Israel ahead of his inauguration on Jan. 1. Hochul has generally been supportive of Israel, while Mamdani — a longtime critic of Israeli policies — has drawn concern from many Jewish community leaders over his rhetoric. Despite those differences, Hochul endorsed Mamdani during his mayoral campaign, the Times of Israel reported.
Asked at a Thursday press conference about Mamdani’s pledge to arrest Netanyahu, the governor said she disagreed with the plan, according to Politico, adding, “The New York City mayor does not have the power to do that.”
The Wall Street Journal reported that International Criminal Court prosecutor Karim Khan expedited issuance of the arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu without completing a planned investigation, after a subordinate accused Khan of sexual misconduct. According to the report, Khan then used the existence of the warrants in an effort to persuade the accuser to withdraw the allegations.
Hochul also distanced herself from many of Mamdani’s other anti-Israel positions, the Times reported.
Asked about New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ executive order issued week opposing boycotts of Israel, Hochul said, “I’ve taken action to protect investments in Israel in the past and will continue to do so.”
When asked about a statement from Mamdani’s spokesperson that criticized a synagogue after it was targeted during a heated protest last month, Gov. Kathy Hochul said, “I do not agree with that assessment.” Mamdani had also issued a separate statement criticizing the protesters involved.
The spokesperson had said that Mamdani “believes every New Yorker should be free to enter a house of worship without intimidation, and that these sacred spaces should not be used to promote activities in violation of international law.”
