NY mayor Mamdani says city can’t arrest Netanyahu on ICC warrant

• New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani says the city cannot enforce the ICC arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu, urging the US federal government to act instead.

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Tuesday (all times local) his office does not have the authority to carry out the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and called on US federal officials to step in.

“My administration has reviewed every avenue available under applicable law to determine whether New York City could execute the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant if Benjamin Netanyahu came here,” Mamdani said in a brief video message posted to social media.

“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 Hague-based International Criminal Court said in 2024 that it had reasonable grounds to believe Netanyahu was responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity related to ‘Israel’s’ offensive in Gaza.

US President Donald Trump on Monday vowed the ‘Israeli’ Prime Minister would not face arrest if he attended September’s United Nations General Assembly summit in New York.

In the video, Mamdani said “anyone, with their eyes, with their heart, with their conscience, should recognize the devastation he has wrought and understand that he belongs before a court of law, as I’ve said.

“I agree with the ICC that Benjamin Netanyahu should be arrested and tried for his crimes, as I do for anyone else charged by the ICC,” he added.

Netanyahu’s office has dismissed Mamdani’s stance and said the ICC is a kangaroo court.