Poll: Nearly Half of US Citizens Support Benjamin Netanyahu's Arrest

Nearly half of Americans believe their government should arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his actions during the war in the Gaza Strip, Palestine, according to a new poll released by The Economist/YouGov. When asked whether the US should enforce the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) arrest warrant against Netanyahu, 49 per cent of respondents answered yes. Meanwhile, 27 per cent said no and a further 23 per cent were unsure. The ICC issued the arrest warrant for Netanyahu in November 2024. The Israeli leader is accused of using starvation as a method of warfare and committing crimes against humanity, including murder and persecution. The ICC also alleges that the prime minister intentionally directed attacks against the civilian population in Gaza. Domestically, the issue has sparked legal debate. Last week, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani retracted an earlier pledge to arrest Netanyahu if he flew into the city to attend the upcoming UN General Assembly. ‘It is abundantly clear that we do not have the independent legal authority to enforce this warrant. However, the federal government does,’ Mamdani said in a video posted on X. Mamdani also urged the federal government to join the ICC and execute the warrant. Currently, neither Israel nor the United States falls under the ICC’s jurisdiction as neither country has ratified the treaty establishing the court. Nevertheless, the ICC maintains it has jurisdiction over Palestinian territory. Regarding public perception of the war crime allegations, the same poll showed that 47 per cent of respondents believe Netanyahu is guilty of war crimes in Gaza. In contrast, 24 per cent disagreed with that view, while the remaining 29 per cent were unsure. The Economist/YouGov survey was conducted between 25 and 27 July 2026, involving 1,559 respondents. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.3 percentage points.