In a CNN interview, radical NYC mayoral hopeful Zohran Madmani once again floated the idea of arresting Israel’s Prime Minister, echoing Hamas talking points while ignoring U.S. law and the city’s real problems.
From City Hall to the Hague?
New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Madmani is backtracking yet again on his extreme threat to order the NYPD to arrest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during next year’s UN General Assembly.
On CNN, Madmani claimed he would “uphold the warrants that the International Criminal Court issues, whether for Benjamin Netanyahu or Vladimir Putin,” framing Israel’s democratically elected leader alongside war criminals.
Although he softened the wording, Madmani still suggested his administration would pursue “every legal avenue” to hold Netanyahu “accountable” — rhetoric that directly aligns with Hamas propaganda rather than America’s closest Middle Eastern ally.
Inflammatory Accusations
Madmani went further, accusing Netanyahu of “orchestrating a genocide,” and claimed — without context — that Israel kills “one Palestinian child every hour.” He highlighted a personal anecdote of a New Yorker who “lost 85 family members,” while omitting the reality that Hamas embeds its fighters and weapons among civilians, using them as human shields.
Such claims not only delegitimize Israel’s right to self-defense but also fuel antisemitism in America’s largest Jewish community.
Political Theater vs. Reality
The mayoral hopeful’s statements come despite the fact that:
- The U.S. does not recognize ICC jurisdiction over Israel.
- A mayor of New York City has no authority to enforce international warrants.
- President Trump himself warned Madmani that his campaign promises depend on federal funding he won’t get by alienating Washington with such stunts.
Madmani’s fixation on Israel raises the question: why is a mayoral candidate prioritizing foreign policy vendettas over New York’s spiraling crime, housing, and cost-of-living crises?
