Mamdani says NYC can’t arrest Netanyahu but the federal government should

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani stated on Tuesday that while New York City lacks the legal authority to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he urged the federal government to execute the International Criminal Court's (ICC) arrest warrant. Mamdani, who had previously discussed the possibility of arresting Netanyahu if he visited New York for the U.N. General Assembly in September, described Netanyahu as a “war criminal” and declared him unwelcome in New York City. He stated in a video, “It is clear that we do not have the independent legal authority to enforce this warrant. The federal government however does and I call on them to join the ICC and execute this warrant.” The ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and others in 2024, alleging crimes against humanity related to the war in Gaza, including using starvation as a method of warfare and intentionally targeting civilians, claims Israeli officials deny. President Donald Trump, however, assured Netanyahu that he “will not be arrested, in any way, shape, or form, while in the United States of America.” Israeli Ambassador to the U.N. Danny Danon criticized Mamdani, stating, “You were elected to serve New Yorkers, not Hamas’ propaganda.”