New York
In a recent video released on Tuesday, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani stated that he lacks the legal capacity to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should he visit New York City.
“My administration has explored every legal option to ascertain whether New York City could enforce the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant if Benjamin Netanyahu arrives here,” Mamdani remarked in a video shared on X. “It is evident that we lack independent legal authority to carry out this warrant. However, the federal government possesses that authority, and I urge them to collaborate with the ICC and implement this warrant.”
This announcement follows Mamdani’s recent statement to The New York Times, where he mentioned that he was collaborating with his legal team to explore how to proceed with the arrest of Netanyahu for his “alleged war crimes.”
The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu and other Israeli officials in 2024, charging them with war crimes committed during and after the October 7, 2023, Hamas assaults on Israel – accusations that Israel has refuted.
In his video, Mamdani reiterated his stance that he considers Netanyahu to be a war criminal and asserted that he “is not welcome in New York City.”
“While we cannot single-handedly stop the genocide, we have the power to decide if our silence will become another weapon, and we must evaluate every resource at our disposal to defend the dignity and humanity of all individuals,” Mamdani stated.
His video drew criticism from Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, who responded on X by saying: “You were elected to serve New Yorkers, not to promote Hamas’ propaganda. Focus on your responsibilities!”
The Simon Wiesenthal Center, a Jewish human rights group based in Los Angeles, accused Mamdani of misusing the authority granted to him by all New Yorkers.
“This situation extends beyond just Prime Minister Netanyahu,” the center remarked in a statement. “It illustrates a recurrent trend in which Mayor Mamdani continually targets Israel while leveraging the prestige of his position to legitimize rhetoric that further alienates the Jewish state and exacerbates divisions here at home.”
When asked on Wednesday if he would label Hamas’ October 7 attacks as genocide, Mamdani described the group’s actions as “a horrific war crime.”
“I recognize that there are Jewish New Yorkers who align with my perspective, as well as those who do not, and it is my duty to ensure that they are valued, celebrated, and secure in their city,” he stated.
The Israeli prime minister may travel to New York later this year for the United Nations General Assembly. His office previously accused Mamdani of “shifting public focus from his shortcomings and targeting the leader of the Jewish state and the sole democracy in the Middle East.”
Earlier, President Donald Trump commented on the matter through Truth Social on Monday, asserting that Netanyahu “will not face arrest in any circumstance.”
Mamdani, a staunch opponent of the Israeli government who has consistently criticized Israel’s military actions in Gaza as a “genocide,” had previously discussed the potential for arresting Netanyahu while campaigning last year.
USdaily Senior Legal Analyst Elie Honig criticized the plausibility of Mamdani executing the arrest, pointing out that he lacks any law enforcement powers.
“It is completely absurd for the mayor of New York City to imply that he has the authority to command the arrest of Benjamin Netanyahu or any visiting foreign leader,” Honig stated on USdaily’s “The Source.”
He also noted that the US has not ratified the Rome Statute, which mandates countries to arrest individuals with pending ICC warrants, adding that the responsibility for foreign diplomacy and affairs rests solely with the federal government.
Both Trump and former President Joe Biden condemned the ICC warrant issued against Netanyahu.
During Trump’s second term, his administration has intensified its ongoing conflict with the ICC, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently vowing to “dismantle” the court, accusing it of “waging a war against our nation, not with bullets or missiles” but through “the power of so-called international law.”
This story has been updated with additional details.
