New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Tuesday that the city does not have the legal authority to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu under an International Criminal Court warrant, reversing earlier suggestions that New York police could detain the Israeli leader if he visits the city.
In a video posted to social media, Mamdani said a legal review by his administration determined that only the federal government has the authority to enforce the ICC arrest warrant.
“It is clear that we do not have the independent legal authority to enforce this warrant,” Mamdani said. “The federal government however does and I call on them to join the ICC and execute this warrant.”
Despite acknowledging the city’s legal limitations, Mamdani described Netanyahu as a “war criminal” and said he is not welcome in New York City.
“I want to be equally clear, Benjamin Netanyahu is not welcome in New York City, nor is any other war criminal at large,” he said.
Mamdani’s comments come weeks before world leaders are expected to gather in New York for the United Nations General Assembly, where Netanyahu could potentially attend.
Earlier this month, Mamdani told The New York Times that his administration was exploring whether the city could enforce the ICC warrant if Netanyahu traveled to New York.
President Donald Trump weighed in Monday, declaring on social media that Netanyahu “will not be arrested, in any way, shape, or form, while in the United States of America.” While Trump did not mention Mamdani by name, the statement followed public discussion over the mayor’s earlier comments.
Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, sharply criticized Mamdani’s remarks.
“You were elected to serve New Yorkers, not Hamas’ propaganda,” Danon wrote on social media. “Do your job!”
The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in 2024 for Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, alleging crimes against humanity and war crimes related to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
ICC judges said there were reasonable grounds to believe the two officials used starvation as a method of warfare by restricting humanitarian assistance and intentionally targeted civilians during military operations. Israeli officials have rejected the allegations and deny committing war crimes.
The United States is not a member of the International Criminal Court and does not recognize the court’s jurisdiction over U.S. citizens or officials from allied nations.
