Mamdani Knew He Couldn’t Arrest Netanyahu. But He Could Denounce Him.
In a video message, the mayor of New York City said he could not legally arrest Israel’s prime minister but reinforced his position as a voice of the international left.
nytimes
The first underlined, in the headline is a serious charge of knowingly lying. The second underlined, in the sublede, makes him a leader in the Internationale.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani recently disclosed that he was in “active conversation” with his legal team about whether he could make good on a campaign vow to arrest Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, should he set foot in New York City.
What the mayor neglected to say, in a wide-ranging interview with The New York Times last week, was that he had already been advised by lawyers that he had no authority to do so.
[Okay. Was he at the time of the interview still in "active conversation"? It sounds not, which is strong evidence that he dissembled. But I read a Yale law professor say that Netanyahoo was
not protected on New York streets. In the UN building sure, not in traffic from the airport to the UN. Maybe the Yalie was wrong, but that
is what he said.]
His declaration risked a rare public clash with his police commissioner, Jessica Tisch, whose pro-Israel stance runs counter to the mayor’s longstanding position.
[Pause: Tisch is "pro-Israel". Mamdani's "longstanding position" is "counter". In normal English construction that makes Mamdani anti-Israel--nothing wrong with that in my book but why don't they say that? Why do they put it, somewhat vaguely, as "counter" to being pro-Israel?]
Ms. Tisch had no intention of arresting Mr. Netanyahu, and the Police Department was ready to make that clear with a formal statement declaring that it lacked the authority to take such action. Lawyers agreed that such an arrest was not within the scope of the Police Department.
“N.Y.P.D.’s position is entirely rooted in the law,” an agency spokeswoman, Delaney Kempner, said.
[Tisch was "pro-Israel": that's the substance of the first paragraph above. The next paragraph begins "Tisch had no intention" of arresting Netanyahu because "AND" the police "lacked the authority"; "The "lawyers agreed."
[So why is Tisch's pro-Israel stance, which leads the discussion and is followed by "Tisch had no intention", placed before case over: NYPD had no legal authority?
[There are two separate statements being made here by the reporters. 1) Tisch had no intention of arresting Netanyahoo, in context,
because of her pro-Israel stance--
regardless of what the law said. 2) using the word the reporters do, "AND" cops "lacked authority", "lawyers agreed", "rooted in law". Mamdani said Tuesday night NYPD had no legal authority.]
...
[In his two-minute address]:
The mayor then said that city lawyers had determined he did not have the authority to arrest Mr. Netanyahu, and urged the federal government to enforce the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant for the Israeli leader.
[Two sets of lawyers: NYPD's, City Hall's. I think that is what the reporters are saying. Everything seems copacetic. So what's the issue?]
Mr. Mamdani recorded the video Tuesday afternoon and was personally involved in editing the clip, according to a city official familiar with its preparation. The message seemed designed to...
[WHOOP! WHOOP! WHOOP! Weasel word alert: "seemed". To whom? To Sally Goldenberg, Dana Rubenstein, and Liam Stack, the authors? Since Tisch's and Mamdani's stances re Israel are deemed relevant to the reporters, are the reporters' stances re Israel relevant in arriving at the conclusion "seemed designed to"?
["Seemed designed to" what?]
...to assure his supporters that he remained steadfast in his criticism of Israel despite his inability to make good on his campaign vow, while reassuring others that he would not overstep his authority.
["Seems" reasonable. What did Mamdani do wrong again? Break a campaign promise? Lie to nytimes?]
The video instantly reinforced Mr. Mamdani’s stature as a pre-eminent voice of the international left...
[It did? Can we have the methodology, sample construct and size of those consulted on the "international left" and the percentage who responded, "his stature is reinforced as a pre-eminent voice" of us. I was not surveyed by GoldenRubenStack and I have an ANTIFA sticker on my car bumper. I wouldn't consider myself among the "international" left but the question is begged, who are these international southpaws and who among my esteemed fellow travelers did GoldenRubenStack survey to elevate Mayor Mamdani to international-left-preeminent-voicehood? Is there a president or I don't know a General Secretary or something of the "international left" that Mamdani might be running for? I might be interested in that position too.]
...and gave the issue prominence at a time when Mr. Netanyahu’s conduct of the war in Gaza has led to two independent United Nations inquiries and humanitarian groups inside and outside of Israel to accuse him of perpetrating a genocide — an accusation that Mr. Netanyahu denies.
[Really? So two mins from a 30-something, 7-month mayor of the Toilet Nation's largest metro "gave the issue prominence"...wait for it! "when Mr. Netanyahu’s conduct of the war in Gaza has led to two independent United Nations inquiries and humanitarian groups inside and outside of Israel to accuse him of perpetrating a genocide..."
[So all those "others" didn't sufficiently give "the issue prominence", it took the evil, anti-war crimes, anti-genocide, law-following, international, 30-something mayor of NYC to really hit the nail on the head with a two-minute address viewed by 64M. Hey, not tooting my own horn but I have a blog with 7M total pageviews (in 16 yrs :( )]
The video also drew backlash from pro-Israel groups and from the Israeli government. Several said the video could inflame antisemitism, and accused the mayor of being overly focused on international relations at a time when his city is facing acute problems.
[Whoa! So "two independent United Nations inquiries and humanitarian groups inside and outside of Israel to accuse him of perpetrating a genocide..." weren't enough to light the flame🔥of antisemitism but agreeing with them "COULD" (WEASEL ALERT!] so inflame, said "several". You guys EVER id. people who say things or elect international lefties "preeminent voices"? No, right?]
Well, GoldenRubenStack, you have not convinced me of whatever you were trying to convince me of, but I will take my new status as a member of the "international left" with your thanks. Muaw.
