New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced on Saturday that his administration is reviewing its legal authority to potentially arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The move comes ahead of Netanyahu's expected visit for the United Nations General Assembly in September.
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The review follows an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court in November 2024.
The warrant cites alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza, including starvation, murder, and persecution.
Mamdani said he is consulting with the city's law department to determine if the New York Police Department can legally detain a foreign leader.
He stressed that the city will not create its own laws to achieve that end.
"I believe that Prime Minister Netanyahu belongs in The Hague," Mamdani stated.
He noted that this opinion is widely held due to the consequences of Netanyahu's actions over recent years.
The mayor emphasized that his administration will follow local regulations rather than a personal assessment.
"Whatever the law allows me to do in New York City, that's what we will do," he said.
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Mamdani clarified that the discussion centers on the weight of the ICC warrant.
"It is hard to find a more bankrupt policy approach than what our country has done to Gaza and to Palestine," he added.
Netanyahu dismissed the arrest threats during a recent radio appearance, alleging that Mamdani supports terror actors.
