Mamdani admits NYC can't arrest Netanyahu in message Israeli envoy calls 'blood libel'

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani stated in a video on Tuesday that the city lacks the authority to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom he referred to as a "war criminal," despite it being a past campaign promise. Mamdani suggested federal authorities should make the arrest and cited statistics resembling those from Hamas. Israeli Ambassador to the U.N. Danny Danon condemned the statement, saying, "Enough with the blood libels."

• Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) criticized Mamdani for not calling for the arrest of other international figures like Putin or Xi, while New York City Council member Vickie Paladino called the video an "antisemitic blood libel courtesy of Hamas propaganda."
• Former U.S. envoy to Israel David Friedman described the video as "the most horrific package of lies against the State of Israel ever promoted by a government official."
• Daniel Rosenthal of the UJA-Federation of New York suggested Mamdani should "focus on his day job," noting the video's release coincided with a Legionnaires' disease death in the city.