US ambassador to UN hits out at Mamdani Netanyahu arrest threat

The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations has accused Zohran Mamdani of engaging in “political theater” after the Democratic mayor of New York City said he was hoping to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should he visit the city later this year.

Mamdani has stated he is exploring options to arrest Netanyahu during his scheduled visit to New York for the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in September. In an interview with the New York Times, Mamdani said he was in “active conversation” with the city’s legal offices regarding his authority to do so, and said: “Whatever the law allows me to do in New York City, that’s what we will do, but we won’t be writing our own laws to that end.”

In response, Mike Waltz—the nation’s top envoy to the international organization—took to X to call Mamdani’s remarks “pure political theater,” arguing that the mayor lacks the legal authority to take such action under both international and U.S. law.

Newsweek has contacted the New York City Mayor’s office and the Israeli prime minister’s office for comment via email.

Waltz Says Arrest Impossible

World leaders from most member states will travel to New York City in September for the UN General Assembly, and the Israeli leader is expected to appear and address the body’s annual session.

But Waltz, who served as U.S. national security adviser before being fired last May in the wake of the “Signalgate” scandal, said that any attempt by Mamdani to arrest Netanyahu would likely fail for a number of reasons.

These include the fact that the U.S. never ratified the Rome Statute—the treaty which established the ICC in 1998—and is therefore not subject to its jurisdiction or obliged to assist in enforcing its judgments.

Waltz also cited the notion of head-of-state immunity and the UN Headquarters Agreement—which governs the legal status of the organization’s New York headquarters and provides legal protections to foreign diplomats and officials attending UN meetings.

Why Does Mamdani Want To Arrest Netanyahu?

Mamdani’s wish to arrest the Israeli premier stems from a warrant issued in November 2024 by the International Criminal Court (ICC)—a permanent international tribunal based in The Hague, Netherlands, which investigates and prosecutes individuals accused of the most series offenses.

The warrant stems followed an investigation by the ICC into the Israeli military campaign in Gaza, after which judges found there were “reasonable grounds to believe” that Netanyahu, alongside former Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant, bore responsibility for several alleged crimes including starvation as a method of warfare and directing attacks against a civilian population.

During his campaign for mayor, Mamdani said he would honor the ICC warrant if elected, and arrest Netanyahu as soon as he stepped foot in New York.

Netanyahu said he still planned on visiting New York despite Mamdani’s remarks during a virtual interview with The New York Times’ Dealbook Summit in December.

“I believe that Prime Minister Netanyahu belongs in The Hague,” Mamdami told the New York Times in an interview released on Saturday. “He’s a war criminal who has been charged by the International Criminal Court. And what you will find is that is an opinion that is held by many, purely because of what his actions have wrought over these last many years.”

Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Tobias Meyjes and Tony Phillips