NYC Mayor urges US to enforce ICC arrest warrant against Netanyahu

NEW YORK: New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has said the city does not have the legal authority to enforce the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, while urging the US federal government to take action if Netanyahu visits the United States.

In a video statement posted on social media, Mamdani said his administration had carefully reviewed whether New York City could execute the ICC warrant under existing laws. After examining all available legal options, he concluded that municipal authorities lack the power to carry out such an arrest.

“The federal government, however, does,” Mamdani said, calling on US officials to cooperate with the ICC and enforce the warrant if the opportunity arises.

The New York mayor also sharply criticized Netanyahu, describing him as “a war criminal” and accusing him of being responsible for what he called “a horrific genocide against the Palestinian people.”

Mamdani added that he supports the ICC’s position, saying that anyone charged by the court should face legal proceedings regardless of their office or nationality. “I agree with the ICC that Benjamin Netanyahu should be arrested and tried for his crimes,” he said.

The ICC, based in The Hague, announced in 2024 that it had found reasonable grounds to believe Netanyahu bore responsibility for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity linked to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza following Hamas’ October 7, 2023 cross-border attack on Israel.

The remarks come just a day after US President Donald Trump declared that Netanyahu would not face arrest if he attends the United Nations General Assembly in New York this September. Trump’s comments highlighted the gap between the US administration’s position and the ICC’s legal proceedings.

Netanyahu’s office swiftly rejected Mamdani’s remarks, dismissing the ICC as a “kangaroo court” and reiterating Israel’s long-standing position that the tribunal lacks jurisdiction over Israeli officials.

The issue has reignited debate over the role of international justice, the authority of the ICC and the legal obligations of countries when individuals facing international arrest warrants travel abroad.

While the United States is not a member of the ICC and does not formally recognise its jurisdiction, the controversy has drawn renewed international attention as legal, diplomatic and political questions continue to surround Netanyahu’s potential foreign visits.

The latest exchange underscores the deep divisions over the Gaza conflict and the growing debate about accountability, international law and the limits of local and federal authority in the United States.