New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani‘s suggestion that his administration is examining whether it could act against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the United Nations General Assembly drew a sharp response from US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz, who dismissed the idea as legally untenable.“Mayor Mamdani. Here’s why your threat to arrest Prime Minister Netanyahu in New York City during UN General Assembly is not going to happen,” Waltz wrote on X on Saturday, calling the proposal “pure political theater.”He argued that US law and international agreements leave no room for such a move.“The United States is not party to the Rome Statute that underlies the International Criminal Court. The UN Headquarters Agreement grants diplomatic protections to visiting heads of government. Head-of-state immunity applies, and federal authority trumps any local mayor’s wishes.”The UN General Assembly is scheduled to be held in New York in early September, with Netanyahu expected to attend.
Waltz cites diplomatic immunity
Waltz said that New York City’s mayor has no legal authority to order the arrest of a visiting foreign head of government protected by diplomatic immunity.His remarks came days after Mamdani told The New York Times that his administration was consulting the city’s Law Department to determine whether any legal authority exists to detain Netanyahu if he visits New York.Mamdani, however, acknowledged that any action would have to remain within the limits of existing law.“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,” he said.The mayor reiterated his criticism of the Israeli leader, saying: “I believe that Prime Minister Netanyahu belongs in The Hague. He’s a war criminal who has been charged by the International Criminal Court.”
Israeli envoy attacks Mamdani
Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, also criticised Mamdani, saying the mayor should focus on governing New York instead of making statements on foreign policy.“If anyone should be arrested, it is New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani,” Danon said.He accused the mayor of neglecting issues at home while targeting Israel. “Mamdani is failing to govern New York. Instead of focusing on his responsibilities as mayor and confronting the rising wave of antisemitism in his city, he has chosen to incite hostility and generate headlines by attacking the State of Israel.”Danon also insisted that Netanyahu’s planned visit would go ahead as scheduled.“It will not change a thing. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu will come to New York, address the United Nations General Assembly with pride and stand before the world to state Israel’s truth and its unwavering right to defend its citizens.”The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity during Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.Netanyahu’s government has described the ICC’s accusations as “absurd and false”, maintaining that Israel’s military operations comply with international law and are carried out in self-defence.
