New York Mayor-Elect Vows to Arrest Netanyahu if He Visits

Zohran Mamdani gestures as he speaks during a watch party for his primary election, which includes his bid to become the Democratic candidate for New York City mayor in the upcoming November 2025 election, in New York City, US on 25 June 2025.

New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has reaffirmed his commitment to enforce the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he enters the city—a stance he first announced months before winning office.

Mamdani repeated his pledge on Monday, hours after outgoing Mayor Eric Adams met Netanyahu abroad and encouraged him to attend Mamdani’s inauguration. The mayor-elect said the contrast highlighted a disconnect between the city’s pressing domestic issues and symbolic foreign policy gestures.

Speaking live on ABC7, Mamdani criticised Adams’ outreach, saying it ignored the challenges facing ordinary New Yorkers.

“New Yorkers are on the brink of being priced out of the city they call home, and his actions have little to do with that affordability crisis,” he said. “What they show, in fact, is why New Yorkers need a new administration—one that prioritises the needs of the city and speaks to working-class residents, rather than war criminals.”

Political Contrast Widens

Mamdani has consistently condemned Israel’s military operation in Gaza as genocide. He argued the city must respect international law by enforcing the ICC warrants issued last November, which accused Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant of using starvation as a method of warfare and committing crimes against humanity, including murder and persecution.

“Being a city of international law means upholding international law,” Mamdani said. “That includes enforcing ICC warrants, whether for Benjamin Netanyahu or Vladimir Putin.”

He added that New Yorkers expect elected leaders to act consistently on global values.

“We are a global city, and residents want us to follow through on our principles,” he said. “That’s why these ICC warrants must be fully explored and legally pursued wherever possible.”

Earlier, Mamdani told Fox News he would arrest Netanyahu “if legally permitted,” emphasizing he would not seek to create new laws to do so.

“Unlike Donald Trump, I operate within the confines of existing laws,” he said.

Commitment to Jewish Community

Despite some criticism, Mamdani stressed his dedication to protecting and supporting Jewish New Yorkers.

“It will be my responsibility to protect Jewish residents and to celebrate and cherish them in the city,” he said.

Adams, who met Netanyahu during a visit now extended to Uzbekistan, will leave office on 1 January following Mamdani’s decisive victory in the 4 November mayoral election.

At 34, Mamdani will become the first Muslim and South Asian mayor of New York City, the largest city in the United States.