Mamdani Faces Sharp Backlash After Calling For Netanyahu’s Arrest

Yisroel R.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani faces sharp backlash from political leaders and activists after releasing a video Tuesday calling Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a “war criminal” and urging the federal government to arrest him if he enters the United States.

Mamdani accused Netanyahu of responsibility for the deaths of more than 73,000 Palestinians during the war in Gaza and said the Israeli leader was not welcome in New York City. He acknowledged that a legal review found the city does not have the authority to enforce the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant, but urged the United States to join the court and called on federal authorities to carry out the warrant.

Former New York City Mayor Eric Adams called the remarks reckless, saying that threatening the democratically elected leader of one of America’s closest allies during United Nations General Assembly week could have serious consequences.

“This isn’t a college protest. This is the City of New York,” Adams wrote. He warned that irresponsible rhetoric could place American diplomats, service members, and officials stationed abroad at greater risk, adding that he looks forward to welcoming Netanyahu when the Israeli prime minister arrives in New York in September.

Congressman Mike Lawler accused Mamdani of displaying a clear double standard, pointing out that he opposed the capture and arrest of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro despite Maduro being indicted twice by federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York.

Lawler called Mamdani a “raging antisemite” and accused him of defending dictators, despots, and terrorist regimes while failing to call for the arrests of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese leader Xi Jinping, Iran’s Ayatollah, or other enemies of the United States.

David Greenfield, a former New York City councilman who now serves as CEO and executive director of the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty, said Mamdani was “LARPing as a prosecutor” while selectively directing his demands at Israel.

Greenfield noted that Sudan’s military leader addresses the United Nations, Syria’s president has a history with al-Qaeda, and Russia sends senior officials to New York despite its ongoing war in Ukraine. “No arrest talk for any of them,” Greenfield wrote. “Just one. Israel.”

Assemblyman Simcha Eichenstein criticized Mamdani for focusing on Israel while New York City continues dealing with a deadly Legionnaires’ disease outbreak that has killed five people in recent days.

Eichenstein accused Mamdani of prioritizing sporting events and foreign-policy grandstanding over running the city. “When will the mayor stop the performative activism and do his actual job?” he wrote. “New Yorkers are dying on his watch.”

City Councilwoman Inna Vernikov mocked Mamdani’s admission that the city lacks the authority to enforce the warrant, accusing him of making a political promise before determining whether it was even legally possible.

Congressman Randy Fine delivered the harshest response, sharing Mamdani’s video and writing directly, “You are a Muslim terrorist.”

The criticism largely centered on accusations that Mamdani was singling out Israel and its elected leader while remaining silent about dictators, hostile governments, and figures connected with terrorism who have traveled to or been represented in New York.

With Netanyahu expected to visit New York for the United Nations General Assembly in September, Mamdani’s comments have already set the stage for a renewed political clash over Israel, antisemitism, and the mayor’s role in matters far beyond City Hall. The remarks could also add further tension to Netanyahu’s visit, potentially bringing increased protests and heightened security during an already heavy security-tight week when world leaders gather in New York City.