NYC mayor says he lacks authority to arrest Netanyahu, urges federal action on ICC warrant
Mayor Zohran Mamdani said New York City cannot enforce the International Criminal Court arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and called on the U.S. government to act.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced that the city does not have the legal authority to detain Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he visits New York, despite an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant issued in 2024 over alleged war crimes in Gaza. In a video posted to social media, Mamdani urged U.S. federal officials to join the ICC and enforce the warrant, stating, "The federal government, however, does have the authority to enforce this. And I call on them to join the ICC and execute this warrant."
Mamdani said his legal team had examined all possible avenues and concluded that only the federal government could act. He added that Netanyahu is "not welcome" in New York City, where the Israeli leader is expected to attend the United Nations General Assembly in September.
The ICC can prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes committed on the territory of states party to the Rome Statute, but the United States is not a member of the court. President Donald Trump previously said Netanyahu would not be arrested in the United States.
During a recent interview with the New York Times, Mamdani described Netanyahu as a war criminal and said he belongs in The Hague, referencing the International Court of Justice. The mayor’s comments come amid shifting public opinion among Democratic voters regarding U.S. support for Israel.