Speaking on The New York Times’ “The Interview” podcast, Mamdani said his office’s legal department was actively reviewing the issue, following a campaign pledge in which he vowed to pursue Netanyahu’s arrest.

“I believe that Prime Minister Netanyahu belongs in The Hague,” Mamdani said, describing the Israeli leader as “a war criminal” facing charges before the International Criminal Court (ICC).

When asked whether New York had the legal authority to arrest Netanyahu, Mamdani said the matter remained under review.

“That’s an active conversation with our legal department,” he said, adding that his administration had no interest in acting outside the law.

The ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and other Israeli officials in 2024 over war crimes linked to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.

Israel rejects the allegations, while both US President Donald Trump and former president Joe Biden have criticised the court’s decision.

The United States is not a party to the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC and requires member states to execute the court’s arrest warrants.

Washington has sharpened its attacks on the International Criminal Court, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio promising to “dismantle” the tribunal and alleging it is using international law to target the United States politically.

Mamdani, a vocal critic of Israel’s military operations in Gaza, has repeatedly described the campaign as “genocide”— an accusation Israel strongly denies.

Netanyahu’s office dismissed the mayor’s remarks, accusing him of trying to divert attention from his own political problems by targeting the Israeli leader.

US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz also criticised Mamdani’s comments, calling them “pure political theatre” and noting that the United States does not recognise the ICC’s jurisdiction.