New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Saturday evening that he believes Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should be in The Hague, calling him a war criminal indicted by the International Criminal Court. Mamdani stated he will use whatever legal authority he has in New York to act, but acknowledged he will not pass new laws to enable the arrest. The statement follows Mamdani's earlier admission that he was seeking a legal loophole to arrest Netanyahu.
In a statement published at 23:35 Jerusalem, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani reiterated that he will not pass new city laws to enable the arrest of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, while repeating his view that Netanyahu is a 'war criminal' who should be tried in The Hague. The clarification comes after a day of escalating rhetoric and legal discussions.
At 20:31 Jerusalem, The Zioneer first reported that Mamdani admitted in a New York Times interview to seeking a 'legal loophole' to arrest Netanyahu during his September UN visit. By 21:46 Jerusalem, The Zioneer reported that Mamdani had already acknowledged the city has no intention of writing new laws for that purpose — a position he now reaffirms explicitly. The thread shows a rapid evolution from an open threat to a narrowed legal claim.
Israeli officials have consistently dismissed Mamdani’s threats. As The Zioneer reported on Saturday, Consul General Ofir Akunis and UN Ambassador Danny Danon said Mamdani lacks authority, with Danon suggesting Mamdani himself should be arrested. US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz called the threat 'pure political theater.' Earlier this week, Prime Minister Netanyahu said Mamdani 'secretly hates America.'
It remains unclear what legal authority, if any, Mamdani believes he possesses. He has not specified the legal avenue he is exploring, and Netanyahu has not responded to Saturday evening’s statement. The prime minister’s September UN address remains on the schedule.
4 developments
- StrongIsraeli officials dismiss Mamdani's arrest threat against Netanyahu; Danon says he should be arrested
- DevelopingIsrael's UN envoy Danon: Mamdani failed in managing New York, Netanyahu will address UN General Assembly
- DevelopingNetanyahu says NYC Mayor Mamdani secretly hates America
- StrongUS Ambassador to UN calls Mamdani arrest threat to Netanyahu 'pure political theater'
Source and signal
- Internal intake