New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said on Tuesday that he does not have the authority to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but called on US federal authorities to do so if Netanyahu visits the United States later this year. Netanyahu is expected to travel to New York in September for the UN General Assembly.
Mamdani's allegations against Netanyahu
In a video posted to social media, Mamdani described Netanyahu as "a war criminal" and alleged he was responsible for what Mamdani called "a horrific genocide against the Palestinian people." These are characterisations made by Mamdani; no international court has convicted Netanyahu of genocide. Mamdani said he believed the International Criminal Court's arrest warrant for Netanyahu, issued over alleged war crimes, was justified.
No legal authority to enforce the warrant
Mamdani said his administration had reviewed "every avenue available under applicable law" to determine whether New York City could execute the ICC's arrest warrant should Netanyahu visit, concluding that the city lacks the independent legal authority to do so. He called on the federal government to join the ICC and execute the warrant instead, and stated that Netanyahu, or "any other war criminal at large," would not be welcome in New York City.
Background to the ICC warrant
The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu in 2024 over alleged war crimes. Mamdani had said the previous week that he was reviewing whether he could arrest Netanyahu during the planned September visit, having pledged to do so during his mayoral campaign last year. The United States does not recognise the ICC's authority and is not a party to the court.
Trump's response
US President Donald Trump rebuked Mamdani's remarks, stating that Netanyahu "will not be arrested" on US soil. Trump said in a social media post that Netanyahu is "fighting against the Islamic Republic of Iran" and that "the only ones that should be arrested are the people that led Iran into this unprecedented spiral of death and destruction."
Netanyahu's reaction
Netanyahu said he was "not concerned" about Mamdani's comments.
Source: The Guardian
