On Tuesday, Zohran Mamdani, the mayor of New York City, stated that while he lacks the power to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he is urging federal authorities in the United States to take action if Netanyahu visits the country later this year.
In a video shared on social media, Mamdani described Netanyahu as a “war criminal” and accused him of orchestrating severe atrocities against the Palestinian population. He expressed support for the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) warrant for Netanyahu’s arrest due to alleged war crimes but recognized that he does not possess the legal means to enforce this warrant.
“My administration has explored all legal options to determine whether New York City could act on the ICC’s arrest warrant should Benjamin Netanyahu arrive here,” Mamdani explained. “It has become clear that we do not have the independent legal authority needed to enforce this warrant.”
He added, “The federal government does have that authority, and I urge them to cooperate with the ICC and implement this warrant. I also want to make it clear: Benjamin Netanyahu is not welcome in New York City, nor is any other fugitive war criminal.”
Netanyahu is anticipated to visit New York in September for the United Nations General Assembly. Last week, Mamdani mentioned he was contemplating the possibility of arresting Netanyahu during this visit, echoing his earlier campaign promise made during his run for mayor last year.
“I believe that Prime Minister Netanyahu should be in The Hague,” Mamdani stated, referring to the city in the Netherlands where the ICC, which issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu in 2024, is located.
It is important to note that the United States does not acknowledge the authority of the ICC and is not a member of it.
These comments have sparked criticism from former President Donald Trump, who asserted that Netanyahu “will not be arrested” while in the U.S. In a post on social media, Trump claimed that Netanyahu is “fighting against the Islamic Republic of Iran” and suggested that the individuals responsible for leading Iran into turmoil should be the ones facing arrest instead.
In response to Mamdani’s statements, Netanyahu remarked that he is “not concerned” about the mayor’s comments.
