City Mayor Zohran Mamdani initially pledged to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he visited New York City, but has since backed away, citing a lack of local legal authority.
Mamdani released a short video on social media, redirecting the responsibility to U.S. officials to act on the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant for Netanyahu, who faces allegations of war crimes in Gaza.
Although the ICC can arrest individuals in member states, the United States is not a party to the Rome Statute, and former President Donald Trump has publicly stated that Netanyahu would not be detained while in the U.S.
Following discussions with police, the mayor said his team had explored all legal options and concluded "we do not have independent legal authority to enforce this". He urged federal agencies to join the ICC and execute the warrant.
Mamdani also declared Netanyahu "not welcome" in New York City, where he is slated to appear in September for the UN General Assembly.
The ICC’s 2024 warrant also names a Hamas commander. The court can prosecute war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity in jurisdictions that are parties to the Rome Statute.
During his campaign, Mamdani repeatedly labeled Netanyahu a war criminal and the Gaza conflict a genocide, pledging to honor the ICC warrant if the Prime Minister came to the city.
Recent polling indicates a shift among Democratic voters, with 58% now believing the U.S. is overly supportive of Israel, up from 45% in 2024. External poll data.
In response to Mamdani’s comments, Israeli Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, reminded the mayor that his role is to serve New Yorkers, not “Hamas’ propaganda.”
