US envoy dismisses Zohran Mamdani’s threat to arrest Netanyahu in New York as ‘pure political theater’

Published 19 July 2026 · politics

US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz has dismissed New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's threat that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could be

US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz has dismissed New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's threat that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could be arrested if he visits New York for the United Nations General Assembly in September. Waltz said the mayor has no legal authority to detain a visiting foreign leader protected under international agreements. "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 said. He argued that US law and international agreements override any action by city officials. "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 convene in New York in early September. Israeli envoy says Mamdani should be arrested instead Israel's Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, also condemned Mamdani's remarks, accusing the mayor of neglecting his responsibilities while targeting Israel.

"If anyone should be arrested, it is New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani," Danon said. He criticized Mamdani for focusing on Israel instead of issues within New York City. "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 insisted Netanyahu would attend the General Assembly as planned. "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." Mamdani says legal authority is under review Mamdani told The New York Times that his administration was still examining whether New York City has the legal authority to detain Netanyahu should he travel to the city.

The mayor reiterated his belief that Netanyahu should face justice. "I believe that Prime Minister Netanyahu belongs in The Hague," Mamdani said. "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." However, Mamdani acknowledged that it remains unclear whether the mayor has the authority to direct the New York Police Department to arrest a foreign head of government. "I am in an active conversation" with the city's Law Department about the matter, he said. He added that any action would be limited by 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.” Campaign pledge revived Mamdani's comments echo a pledge he made during last year's mayoral campaign, when he said he would order the NYPD to arrest Netanyahu if the Israeli leader visited New York.