NYC mayor-elect Mamdani doubles down on Netanyahu arrest pledge

New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani reiterated this week that he would honor the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should the leader visit the city — a stance he first announced before winning office.

His renewed remarks came as outgoing Mayor Eric Adams met with Netanyahu and encouraged him to attend Mamdani’s upcoming inauguration, according to local reports.

During a live appearance on ABC7, Mamdani described NYC as a “city of international law” that would uphold ICC’s 2024 arrest warrants, which accused Netanyahu of intentionally attacking civilians and using starvation as a method of warfare.

“I’ve said time and again that I believe this is a city of international law, and being a city of international law means looking to uphold international law,” he said. “And that means upholding the warrants from the International Criminal Court, whether they’re for Benjamin Netanyahu or Vladimir Putin.”

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“We are a global city, but what New Yorkers are looking for is consistency in the way we talk about our values and follow through with them,” he said. “That’s why these warrants from the International Criminal Court are worth fully exploring — every legal possibility to actually follow through on.”

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Prior to his election victory, Mamdani also told Fox News’ Martha MacCallum on “The Story” in October that he would arrest Netanyahu if legally permitted, saying New York “wants to uplift and uphold” such principles.

Mamdani said he would not make a new law to ensure Netanyahu could be arrested, while also criticizing President Donald Trump.

“Unlike Donald Trump, I’m someone who looks to exist within the confines of the laws that we have,” he said. “So I will look to exhaust every legal possibility, not create my own laws, to do so.”

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment.

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He has previously acknowledged that the United States is not a signatory to the ICC treaty but maintains that the city should still aim to uphold ICC arrest warrants while “abiding with all of the laws in front of us.”

The declaration happened as outgoing Mayor Eric Adams met with the Israeli leader for a farewell visit. 

In a special interview with Israel Hayom, Adams said, “I believe the prime minister should visit the city. I think he should start with the inauguration ceremony of Mamdani in the presence of the City Council on January 1 to send a strong message to the largest Jewish community outside Israel. He needs to make clear to the entire community that he will continue visiting the city as often as possible, and he should begin on January 1.”

In his ABC7 interview, Mamdani then reaffirmed his commitment to protecting and supporting New York’s Jewish community. 

“It will be my responsibility that I will uphold to not only protect Jewish New Yorkers, but to celebrate and cherish them in the city,” he added.

After Adams leaves office on Jan. 1, Mamdani will be the first Muslim and South Asian mayor of the nation’s largest city.

Fox News’ Jasmine Baehr contributed to this report.