Representative Ro Khanna of California joined New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Friday in demanding the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when he visits the United States next week, citing an International Criminal Court warrant for war crimes.
In a hallway interview on Capitol Hill with MeidasTouch reporter Pablo Manriquez, Khanna stated unequivocally that the American president should detain Netanyahu or Russian President Vladimir Putin if they enter U.S. jurisdiction, in line with international law. "Full stop. America needs to cooperate with the ICC," the Democratic lawmaker said. "It's a matter of human rights, and it's a matter of a rules-based international order. He should order the marshals to arrest someone if they come to our jurisdiction."
The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu in 2024, accusing him of war crimes and crimes against humanity tied to Israel's military campaign in Gaza against Hamas. Khanna's stance comes weeks after he was briefly detained by Israeli settlers and the Israeli Defense Forces in the West Bank during a visit to a small Palestinian village. The California Democrat, who is openly considering a 2028 presidential run, told the New York Times that the experience would shape any future campaign. "Free advice to the Israelis: It's not a good idea to detain long-shot presidential candidates," he said. "Not how you're going to build good will with the next American president, whoever that is."
Netanyahu is scheduled to visit Washington, D.C., next week, where he will meet with President Donald Trump for their first in-person discussion since the U.S. and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran in late February. He will also attend the funeral of the late Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a staunch Israel ally. Mamdani had previously told the New York Times that he was in talks with New York City law enforcement about arresting Netanyahu during a potential visit for the United Nations General Assembly in the fall. The mayor later acknowledged he lacks the legal authority to do so but argued that federal authorities have that power. He has been a vocal advocate for Palestinian rights, calling Israel's actions in Gaza a "genocide."
"As I've said, I agree with the ICC that Benjamin Netanyahu should be arrested and tried for his crimes, as I do for anyone else charged by the ICC," Mamdani said in a video shared on social media earlier this week, noting his administration had examined all legal options for arrest. President Trump responded forcefully, posting on Truth Social that "Benjamin Netanyahu will not be arrested, in any way, shape, or form, while in the United States of America." Trump framed Netanyahu's fight against Iran as justification, citing Iranian repression and attacks on American soldiers.
When asked about the likelihood of Trump ordering Netanyahu's arrest, Khanna conceded it was improbable. "He's not a law-and-order president, and he doesn't really care about human rights or international law," Khanna told Manriquez. "It's embarrassing to the United States and to the world community. It's simple international law." The congressman added that arresting Netanyahu would give Trump leverage after Netanyahu defied a ceasefire agreement by continuing strikes on Lebanon. "This is about accountability," Khanna said. "You can't just kill women and children, have an ICC arrest warrant, and then walk into the United States of America and think nothing is gonna happen to you. If you come to our jurisdiction, America is a country that's gonna enforce international law."
The push for Netanyahu's arrest has exposed deeper divisions within the Democratic Party over Israel policy, as Mamdani's Netanyahu arrest threat highlights a rift between progressives and establishment figures. Meanwhile, Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon dismissed the call as a "stunt" with no legal basis, as detailed in a separate report.
