New York City socialist mayor Zohran Mamdani was widely mocked by conservatives on social media Tuesday after announcing that one of his campaign platforms, arresting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, isn’t a tool he has at his disposal.
In a video post on X that was viewed over 36 million times, Mamdani called Netanyahu a “war criminal” while conceding that New York City could not enforce the International Criminal Court’s warrant for the Israeli leader’s arrest on its own despite the mayor saying he had looked at exploring avenues to do so.
Mamdani has often said on the campaign trail and as mayor that he wanted to arrest Netanyahu over what the mayor calls a “genocide” in Gaza.
While Mamdani’s post was well received by many on the political left, conservatives on social media quickly mocked the mayor over the situation while taking issue with his determination to enforce the ICC warrant, which the United States government does not recognize.
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“Trying to find where Mamdani called for the arrest of the Hamas terrorists who plotted the October 7th attacks,” Arkansas Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders posted on X. “Disgusting and Disgraceful.”
“This may be the most horrific package of lies against the State of Israel ever promoted by a government official,” former U.S. Ambassador to Israel David M. Friedman posted on X. “Even Hamas does not lie to this extent! It is despicable and entirely unbecoming a mayor of New York City. To those who voted for this Jew-hater, shame on you.”
“Zohran Mamdani calling Benjamin Netanyahu a war criminal is utterly ridiculous,” Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., posted on X. “The same crowd that rushes to condemn Israel never has much to say about the terrorists who started the war, massacred civilians, raped women, kidnapped children, and still hide behind their own people. Mamdani wants the headline that comes from attacking Netanyahu, not the consistency that comes with confronting Hamas.”
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“The mayor of New York is just straight up promoting antisemitic blood libel courtesy of Hamas propaganda from an official government social media account tonight,” New York City Republican Councilwoman Vickie Paladino posted on X.
“As I was saying… he doesn’t have the authority,” US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz posted on X. “More political theater.”
“I had a dead homeless body in front of my apartment, but the mayor’s focused on playing Model UN,” Sam Raus, David Boaz Resident Writing Fellow at Young Voices, posted on X. “What a joke.”
“Zohran Mamdani admitted tonight that he has zero legal right to arrest Netanyahu,” political commentator Eyal Yakoby posted on X. “Like everything that he does, it was all just an act for clicks on social media.”
Although Mamdani acknowledged he could not arrest Netanyahu as mayor, he called on the federal government to execute an International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant if the Israeli leader visits New York.
“I want to be equally clear: Benjamin Netanyahu is not welcome in New York City, nor is any other war criminal at large,” he said.
In a press conference on Wednesday, Mamdani answered more questions about his position and said, “my interest in executing that warrant is not specific to Benjamin Netanyahu, but to anyone who they put a warrant towards for war crimes and crimes against humanity.”
Mamdani was asked at one point what he would say to those who are disappointed that Netanyahu can’t be arrested by authorities in New York City.
“I’m simply saying that this is a city where, if anyone feels a level of frustration or opposition, protest is something that we will always respect,” Mamdani said. “I leave it to New Yorkers themselves to make that decision and when it comes to Palestinian New Yorkers who are disappointed, I understand it because we are talking about someone who has been charged with crimes against humanity, someone who has visited this city on many an occasion and who has be welcomed by previous mayor and I want to make it very clear that that welcome ends with me.”
Mamdani continued. “I will not be welcoming Benjamin Netanyahu or any other war criminals when they come to this city, and I do believe that our federal government should join the International Criminal Court and ensure that there is accountability when it comes to crimes against humanity.”
Fox News Digital’s Michael Sinkewicz contributed to this report.
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