The new mayor of New York City, the democratic socialist Zoran Mamdani, has sparked an unprecedented international scandal after confirming his intention to order police to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he sets foot in the metropolis.
The case has become extremely urgent, as Netanyahu is planning an official visit to the United States in September to attend the UN General Assembly. Mamdani, who took office in early 2026 as New York City's first Muslim mayor, announced on ABC News that the city must demonstrate its respect for international humanitarian law and official detention orders in practice. data-processed="true" data-sfc-cb="" data-sfc-root="ep" jsaction="" jscontroller="zYmgkd#vvzi1e" jsuid="FqnlUe_1y">International Criminal Court (ICC).
What are the legal and political realities before arrest?
- The ICC Order: In November, the International Criminal Court issued formal arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Galant on charges of committing war crimes and using starvation as a method of warfare in Gaza.
- The diplomatic immunity case: International legal experts quickly countered Mamdani's statements, emphasizing that such detention is practically impossible. The United States is not a party to the Rome Statute and does not recognize the jurisdiction of the ICC, and Netanyahu enjoys full diplomatic immunity as a sitting head of state. Federal law takes precedence over local municipal regulations.
- Domestic sabotage in the US: Former Mayor Eric Adams deliberately met with Netanyahu before the end of his term, ironically urging him to attend Mamdani's inauguration. Adams told the media that no New York police officer would carry out the new mayor's "radical and illegal order". Netanyahu himself responded to the threats with a video interview with The New York Times, stating: “Yes, I will come to New York“.
Despite the legal hurdles, Mamdani remains adamant that his administration is in active talks with the city's Law Department to explore every possible legal loophole to enforce the international order.
Sources in the text: Official statement and video chronicle by Al Jazeera English, exclusive interviews with the mayor for ABC7 New York, posts on Times of Israel and analytical reports by the Turkish state agency Anadolu Agency.