New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has admitted that the city lacks the legal power to detain Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should he visit the United States later this year. In a recent social media video, Mamdani explained that after examining the legal angles concerning the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) arrest warrant for Netanyahu, it was determined that New York City is unable to enforce it.
Despite this limitation, Mamdani urged the federal government to acknowledge the ICC warrant and to take appropriate action. He labeled Netanyahu as a war criminal and asserted that neither the Israeli leader nor any other individual accused of similar allegations would be welcome in New York City. Netanyahu is anticipated to arrive in New York in September for the United Nations General Assembly. During his campaign for mayor, Mamdani had vowed to investigate ways of enforcing the ICC warrant if the Israeli prime minister set foot in the city.
The ICC issued the arrest warrant against Netanyahu in 2024 on charges related to alleged war crimes. However, the United States does not recognize the jurisdiction of the ICC and is not a party to the organization. This presents a significant hurdle for any legal action against Netanyahu on American soil.
In response to Mamdani’s statements, U.S. President Donald Trump criticized the mayor’s remarks, assuring that Netanyahu would not be subject to arrest in the United States and defending the actions of the Israeli leader. Meanwhile, Netanyahu has brushed off the controversy, expressing that he is untroubled by Mamdani’s comments.