Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani again vowed to arrest Benjamin Netanyahu if the Israeli prime minister visits New York City during his administration.
In an interview with WABC's "Up Close," Mamdani doubled down on honoring the International Criminal Court's 2024 arrest warrant for Netanyahu, insisting New York is "a city of international law."
The 34-year-old democratic socialist, who on Jan. 1 will become the city's first Muslim mayor, said he intends to "exhaust every legal possibility" to enforce the ICC warrant, adding that the same standard would apply to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"I believe this is critically important to showcase our values," Mamdani said Sunday. "I look to exist within the confines of the laws that we have."
The U.S. is not a member of the ICC.
Told the arrest of Netanyahu would be a world-altering event, Mamdani embraced the prospect, calling New York a "global city" expected to be consistent in applying its stated values.
Netanyahu, speaking to reporters before meeting President Donald Trump at the White House in July, mocked Mamdani's vow as "silly" and "not serious."
Trump quickly jumped in, promising, "I'll get him out."
The president also blasted Mamdani as a "communist," assuring reporters that the Israeli leader "will be fine."
Polling shows city voters largely reject Mamdani's position. According to recent Forward survey data, only 36% support enforcing the ICC warrant, while 45% oppose it.
The controversy has widened an already stark divide between Mamdani and outgoing Mayor Eric Adams.
The New York Times reported Adams spent this past weekend in Israel meeting with leaders, visiting counterterrorism academies, and reassuring Jewish communities uneasy about the incoming administration.
At a Tel Aviv event, Adams bluntly warned, "If I were a Jewish New Yorker, I'd be concerned about my children."
Mamdani's office fired back, saying he earned the support of "hundreds of thousands of Jewish New Yorkers," and accused Adams of fearmongering in his waning weeks in office.
Mamdani also criticized Adams for meeting with Netanyahu, who Mamdani associated with "war criminals," WABC reported.
Adams last week said Netanyahu should come to New York and attend Mamdani's inauguration.
The mayor told the newspaper Israel Hayom that Netanyahu "needs to make clear to the entire community" of Jews in New York "that he will continue visiting the city as often as possible."
While Mamdani continues assembling his transition team — raising more than $1 million and fielding more than 50,000 job applications — the diplomatic firestorm over his Netanyahu comments threatens to overshadow his domestic agenda.
With Netanyahu regularly traveling to New York for the United Nations General Assembly and U.S.-Israel negotiations ongoing over hostages and a possible ceasefire, Mamdani's vow sets the stage for a potential international clash unprecedented in modern city politics.
Newsmax Wires contributed to this story.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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