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Polybius

(20,848 posts)
Sat Sep 13, 2025, 03:47 PM Saturday

Mamdani, if Elected Mayor, Pledges to Order N.Y.P.D. to Arrest Netanyahu

Source: NY Times

Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for mayor of New York City, said that if elected, he would order the New York Police Department to arrest the prime minister of Israel if he sets foot in the city, offering new details on how he plans to carry out a campaign pledge.

Mr. Mamdani said in an interview with The New York Times on Thursday that the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, was a war criminal who was committing genocide in Gaza. If the Israeli leader were to come to New York, Mr. Mamdani said, he would honor a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court for Mr. Netanyahu’s arrest by having him apprehended at the airport.

Legal experts suggested that having Mr. Netanyahu arrested would be a practical impossibility, and some said it could violate federal law. Even so, Mr. Mamdani’s pledge will likely provoke strong reactions in New York, the second-largest home to Jews in the world.

Although New Yorkers now generally express support for Palestinians over Israel in its war with Hamas, Mr. Mamdani’s vow could still complicate his attempt to reassure a segment of Jewish leaders who had expressed concern about some of his stances, including his refusal to condemn the phrase “globalize the intifada.” He has since said he would discourage the use of the phrase, even as he holds to his position that Israel’s leader is a war criminal.

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/12/nyregion/mamdani-arrest-netanyahu-nyc-mayor.html

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Mamdani, if Elected Mayor, Pledges to Order N.Y.P.D. to Arrest Netanyahu (Original Post) Polybius Saturday OP
Should happen anywhere that netanyahu or Putin set foot JT45242 Saturday #1
That alone would get my vote!! aeromanKC Saturday #2
Now he's got my vote even more!! (If I had a vote.) InAbLuEsTaTe Saturday #3
The NYT seems way behind on this. yardwork Saturday #4
I like this dude. I suspect Netanyahu will avoid NYC and head to the Bible Belt 😎 walkingman Saturday #5
He'll go here on purpose Polybius Saturday #8
Arresting him would not be legal. What NY law did he violate? Is there a warrant? LeftInTX Sunday #10
Good. N/T AloeVera Saturday #6
Not gonna happen. Would be an illegal arrest because it's outside his jurisdiction. LeftInTX Sunday #13
Can a Mayor Do That? OC375 Saturday #7
Doubt it LeftInTX Saturday #9
Thanks OC375 Sunday #17
No. Angleae Sunday #11
Someone should ask if he would do the same to Iran JI7 Sunday #12
Would prefer a mayor to actually know what he can and can't do FBaggins Sunday #14
He may have lost a few votes with that one Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin Sunday #15
He lost a lot of votes Polybius Sunday #20
From what I've read so far in this thread Mossfern Sunday #16
This is not a good campaign issue. mdbl Sunday #18
OMG. What the hell, man! CTyankee Sunday #19
Context? ninjanurse Sunday #21
Stupid!!! Opened a Can-o-Shit when he didn't have to. NM Grins Sunday #22
Really sucks that NYC has no decent candidate for mayor. Ace Rothstein Sunday #23
Cuomo isn't that bad Polybius Sunday #24

JT45242

(3,624 posts)
1. Should happen anywhere that netanyahu or Putin set foot
Sat Sep 13, 2025, 03:58 PM
Saturday

They have the same warrants for war crimes. If either of them set foot in any country in the world, they should be arrested and sent to the ICC to stand trial.

That's how international treaties around the ICC and war crimes are supposed to work.

If Netanyahu is innocent, he will be exonerated. If he is found guilty, he can rot in jail for the rest of his life.

yardwork

(68,018 posts)
4. The NYT seems way behind on this.
Sat Sep 13, 2025, 04:36 PM
Saturday

I don't know a single Jewish person who supports Netanyahu. While my experience is limited, I feel certain that many Jewish New Yorkers will agree with Mamdani on this. And those who don't weren't planning to vote for a Democrat or Socialist anyway.

The NYT is so out of touch.

LeftInTX

(33,875 posts)
13. Not gonna happen. Would be an illegal arrest because it's outside his jurisdiction.
Sun Sep 14, 2025, 01:32 AM
Sunday

And Netanyahu has diplomatic immunity. It's just talk.

Mamadani could only have him arrested if he was POTUS and since he's not, it won't happen.

LeftInTX

(33,875 posts)
9. Doubt it
Sat Sep 13, 2025, 11:57 PM
Saturday

NYC cops can arrest for crimes committed in their jurisdiction or on warrants from other jurisdictions.

I don't believe there is a warrant from any jurisdiction within the US.

The feds could arrest him on some international crime if they wanted, but they don't have a warrant either.

Unless Netanyahu commits are crime while in NYC (like if he shoplifts, mugs someone etc) , I doubt that arresting him would be legal.

Angleae

(4,753 posts)
11. No.
Sun Sep 14, 2025, 12:16 AM
Sunday

In addition to everything LeftInTX said, Netanyahu has diplomatic immunity due to him being head of state.

JI7

(92,623 posts)
12. Someone should ask if he would do the same to Iran
Sun Sep 14, 2025, 01:16 AM
Sunday

and leaders of many other countries .

FBaggins

(28,430 posts)
14. Would prefer a mayor to actually know what he can and can't do
Sun Sep 14, 2025, 01:36 AM
Sunday

Just because Trump sometimes gets away with it is no excuse

Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin

(128,601 posts)
15. He may have lost a few votes with that one
Sun Sep 14, 2025, 02:04 AM
Sunday

I don't live in New York, so my opinion won't affect the election but as others pointed out that's not for him to say or do. Let him run for national office if he feels that way,

Mossfern

(4,345 posts)
16. From what I've read so far in this thread
Sun Sep 14, 2025, 07:44 AM
Sunday

this is grandstanding and will only serve to provoke Trump.
What is he thinking?

ninjanurse

(113 posts)
21. Context?
Sun Sep 14, 2025, 10:59 AM
Sunday

NYT is behind a paywall. Politicians often say unwise things so there might not be any good strategic reason for saying this. I would like the whole context, maybe a clarification of what he meant. History will judge us all for letting the war hawks in Israel do what they are doing.

Ace Rothstein

(3,359 posts)
23. Really sucks that NYC has no decent candidate for mayor.
Sun Sep 14, 2025, 08:42 PM
Sunday

This is an absolutely deranged thing to promote by a mayoral candidate.

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