Mamdani studies Netanyahu's arrest: War criminal belongs in The Hague

New York – Agencies: New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced that he is holding discussions regarding the possibility of arresting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the upcoming United Nations General Assembly. In an interview with The New York Times, Mamdani said, “I believe Netanyahu belongs in The Hague; he is a war criminal who has been indicted by the International Criminal Court.” The New York mayor, who described Israel as an “apartheid regime,” added, “This is a view held by many, simply because of what his actions have led to over the past several years.” However, Mamdani acknowledged that he is not certain whether he has the authority to order the New York Police Department to arrest a foreign official, noting that he is discussing the matter with the city’s legal team. He said, “Whatever the law allows me to do in New York City, that is what we will do.” The UN General Assembly will convene in September at the UN headquarters in New York. Mamdani had previously pledged to deploy the NYPD to execute arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court against leaders it is pursuing, including Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin. In 2024, the Hague-based ICC announced it had reasonable grounds to believe that Netanyahu is responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity in connection with the genocide war in Gaza. Last week, the New York mayor described the results of an Associated Press poll showing his rising popularity among the city’s Jewish community as “wonderful,” particularly because he surpassed the prime minister of the occupation state that positioned itself as the guardian of world Jewry after the end of World War II. In his first comment on the poll, Mamdani said, “I advise people to draw their own conclusions from that.” Mamdani’s remarks came during an interview with local channel NY1, in which he expressed pride in leading a city that houses the largest Jewish population in the United States, emphasizing his desire to work with them beyond merely ensuring their safety in New York. He said, “I want them to see the city as their home, and to know that it values and celebrates them. I feel very happy to be their mayor.”