Mamdani seeks legal guidance on arresting Netanyahu in New York
Mamdani said he is in an “active conversation” with the city Law Department over whether he can arrest Netanyahu, even as experts warn the move is likely illegal.
Zohran Mamdani said he is in an “active conversation” with New York City’s Law Department over whether he has the authority to arrest Benjamin Netanyahu, pushing a clash between city power and international law into the center of New York politics. The mayor-elect has repeatedly said he would honor the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant if Netanyahu comes to New York City, including for the U.N. General Assembly in September.
The legal test is stark. The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant in November 2024 over allegations tied to the Gaza war, but outside legal experts have said carrying out such an arrest in New York would be impractical and likely illegal. The question now is whether a city mayor can act on a warrant issued in the Hague, or whether that authority stops well before foreign policy, federal jurisdiction and diplomatic protections come into play.
Mamdani has framed the issue as one of principle, saying the move would show New York “stands up for international law.” He has also acknowledged that he has not said he would rewrite city laws to make it happen, leaving the practical mechanics unresolved even as he keeps the pledge alive.
The issue has quickly escalated beyond City Hall. Elise Stefanik, a House Republican leadership member, introduced the Sovereign Enforcement Integrity Act on September 16, 2025, to try to prohibit Mamdani’s plan. Israeli officials and supporters have dismissed the threat, and Netanyahu has publicly signaled that he intends to visit New York anyway despite the arrest threat.
The standoff has also become entwined with the politics of the United Nations, where Netanyahu’s possible appearance around the September U.N. General Assembly has sharpened the dispute. Protests calling for his arrest have taken place outside the U.N. during his visits, underscoring how the issue has moved from a legal hypothetical to a recurring public confrontation in New York.
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