New York City Mayor Says City Lacks Authority To Arrest Netanyahu

New York City Mayor Says City Lacks Authority to Arrest Netanyahu

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has said the city does not have the legal authority to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he visits New York, clarifying his position in a video released amid ongoing debate over the International Criminal Court ICC arrest warrant. Mamdani said New York City does not have the independent legal authority to enforce the ICC warrant. Instead, he argued that any such action would fall under the jurisdiction of the U.S. federal government and urged federal authorities to consider enforcing the warrant. The mayor described Netanyahu as a “war criminal” and reiterated his criticism of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. Netanyahu and the Israeli government reject the allegations and dispute the legitimacy of the ICC’s arrest warrant, arguing that the court lacks jurisdiction over Israel. The issue has drawn renewed attention ahead of the annual United Nations General Assembly in New York, where world leaders, including the Israeli prime minister, have often attended in previous years. The United States is not a party to the ICC and does not recognize the court’s jurisdiction, complicating any potential enforcement of its warrants on U.S. soil. Mamdani’s comments mark a clarification from earlier statements in which he had expressed support for enforcing the ICC warrant if Netanyahu were to visit New York. His latest remarks acknowledge that such authority rests with the federal government rather than city officials.