Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) is moving to neutralize the “radical and unlawful” threat by Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for New York City mayor, who has repeatedly pledged to arrested Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he visits Manhattan.

Stefanik, chair of the House Republican Conference and a rising star in GOP politics, introduced legislation Tuesday that would bar state or local authorities from enforcing an International Criminal Court warrant against Netanyahu. The ICC—based in The Hague and not recognized by Washington—has sought to arrest Israeli officials over alleged war crimes in Gaza, a move the U.S. has denounced as illegitimate.

“This bill will protect American sovereignty and prohibit radicals like Mamdani from illegally arresting the leader of our democratic ally Israel,” Stefanik said in a statement. The legislation would specifically preempt any attempt by New York law enforcement to detain Netanyahu during a visit to the city, home to the United Nations headquarters.

Mamdani, a state assemblyman and outspoken critic of Israel, has gained national attention for his support of the boycott movement and for accusing the Jewish state of committing “genocide” in Gaza. He drew heavy backlash after refusing to condemn the slogan “globalize the intifada,” a phrase that encourages violence against Jews at a time when antisemitic incidents were already spiking in the wake of Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, terror assault on Israel.

Although Mamdani has since distanced himself from the phrase, he continues to champion boycotts and sanctions targeting Israel. Those positions have left him deeply unpopular among Jewish voters: a Quinnipiac University poll this month found that 75 percent of Jewish likely voters view him unfavorably, with Mayor Eric Adams—who is considering an independent run—leading Mamdani 42 to 21 percent in a hypothetical matchup.

For Stefanik, who is almost certain to mount a 2026 run for New York governor, the legislation is both a policy and political maneuver. It positions her as a defender of Israel at a moment when the Jewish state’s staunchest allies in Washington are vowing to push back on the ICC, while also drawing a sharp contrast with Mamdani, whose rhetoric has made him a lightning rod in the mayoral race.

“Netanyahu is not the criminal here—Hamas is,” Stefanik said. “And no local politician in New York will be allowed to hijack American foreign policy for their fringe agenda.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)