New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani has sparked controversy after suggesting he is examining whether legal action could be taken against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he attends the UN General Assembly in New York this September.
Mamdani said he would act within the limits of the law, referring to the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Netanyahu.
The response from Israel was swift. Netanyahu's office rejected the suggestion, arguing that the ICC has no jurisdiction over Israel and describing the warrant as invalid.
Legal hurdles
Speaking to The Interview podcast by The New York Times, Mamdani said he believes Netanyahu should ultimately face justice in The Hague.
Legal experts consulted by the newspaper, however, said an arrest in New York would be highly unlikely and could trigger a direct confrontation with the US federal government.
The United States is not a member of the ICC and does not recognise the court's authority. The Trump administration has also taken a hostile stance towards the institution, imposing sanctions and repeatedly questioning its legitimacy.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been among the administration's strongest critics, accusing the court of overstepping its powers.
Netanyahu dismisses threat
Netanyahu, who faces a difficult re-election campaign later this year, brushed aside Mamdani's remarks, saying he was unconcerned by the prospect of arrest.
The Israeli prime minister also accused the New York mayor of sympathising with Hamas, a claim Mamdani denies.
"He is with the terrorists," Netanyahu said in an interview with New York radio station WABC.
Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon similarly criticised Mamdani, accusing him of failing to tackle antisemitism in New York.
Mamdani responded by noting that his administration has increased funding for programmes aimed at combating hate crimes.
"We will do what the law allows"
World leaders are expected to travel to New York in September for the annual UN General Assembly, an event Netanyahu has frequently attended in previous years.
Mamdani stressed that the issue was not about his personal opinion of Netanyahu but about the existence of an ICC arrest warrant.
He also acknowledged that it remains unclear whether he has any authority to direct the New York Police Department (NYPD) to arrest a visiting foreign leader.
The mayor said he has been consulting the city's legal department on the matter.
"Whatever the law allows me to do in New York, that is what we will do," Mamdani said. "But we are not going to write our own laws for this purpose."
Source: The Guardian
