Hochul distances herself from some of incoming mayor’s anti-Israel policies, after endorsing him during campaign.
Illustrative: New York State Governor Kathy Hochul speaks during a press conference announcing actions to combat hate crimes, at her office in New York City on November 22, 2022. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP)
NEW YORK — New York Governor Kathy Hochul said Thursday that New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani cannot arrest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, after Mamdani’s repeated vows to do so if the Israeli leader visits.
Hochul’s statement came as she distanced herself from some of Mamdani’s anti-Israel policies ahead of the new mayor taking office on January 1.
Hochul is generally supportive of Israel, while Mamdani is a longtime anti-Israel activist who has alarmed many Jews with his antagonism toward the Jewish state. Hochul endorsed Mamdani’s mayoral campaign.
Asked at a Thursday press conference about Mamdani’s pledge to arrest Netanyahu, Hochul said she disagreed with the plan, according to Politico, and added, “The New York City mayor does not have the power to do that.”
Mamdani has cited an International Criminal Court war crimes arrest warrant as grounds for arresting Netanyahu, but the court does not have jurisdiction in the US, and US federal law makes it illegal for local government to cooperate with the court. A separate federal law prohibits imprisonment and obstruction of foreign officials, including heads of state.
Legal experts have also said Mamdani’s threat to arrest Netanyahu is baseless.
Netanyahu on Wednesday said he still planned to visit New York despite the threat. Netanyahu visits the city each fall for the United Nations General Assembly.
International Criminal Court prosecutor Karim Khan rushed through the arrest warrant for Netanyahu without conducting a planned investigation after a subordinate accused Khan of sexual abuse. Khan then used the warrants to pressure his accuser to drop the charges, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Hochul distanced herself from Mamdani’s other anti-Israel positions during the Thursday press conference.
New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani listens as US President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, November 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Asked about New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ executive order this week opposing boycotts of Israel, Hochul said, “I’ve taken action to protect investments in Israel in the past and will continue to do so,” Politico reported. Mamdani is a longtime supporter of the movement to boycott Israel.
Asked about a statement from Mamdani’s spokesperson that criticized a synagogue after it was targeted in a vitriolic protest last month, Hochul said, “I do not agree with that assessment.” Mamdani also criticized the protesters.
The spokesperson had said that Mamdani “believes every New Yorker should be free to enter a house of worship without intimidation, and that these sacred spaces should not be used to promote activities in violation of international law.”
The protest came during an open house organized by Nefesh B’Nefesh, a group that facilitates North American Jewish aliyah, or immigration, to Israel. Protesters claimed the event promoted settlements, though there was little evidence for this.
Hochul added that she would support proposed legislation that would bar protests immediately outside houses of worship. The legislation was put forward this week in response to last month’s protest.
