Mamdani says New York cannot enforce ICC warrant against Netanyahu

Zohran Mamdani said New York City lacks authority to enforce the ICC warrant against Benjamin Netanyahu. He urged the federal government to act, drawing a sharp rebuke from Israel's UN envoy.

In Short

• Mayor said city lawyers reviewed options before ruling out local enforcement
• He asked Washington to join the ICC and execute the warrant
• The issue resurfaced before Netanyahu's expected UN General Assembly visit

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani said on Tuesday that the city does not have the legal authority to execute an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He, however, urged the federal government to act, saying Netanyahu is a "war criminal" and is not welcome in New York City.

In a video posted on X, Mamdani said his administration had reviewed all available options before reaching its decision. "It is clear that we do not have the independent legal authority to enforce this warrant," he said. "The federal government however does and I call on them to join the ICC and execute this warrant," he added.

Earlier this month, Mamdani had told The New York Times that he and the city's legal department were discussing the possibility of arresting Netanyahu if he visits New York for the UN General Assembly in September. During his mayoral election campaign last year, he had also said he would seek to direct the city's police to arrest Netanyahu under the ICC warrant linked to the war in Gaza.

US President Donald Trump said on Monday in a social media post that Netanyahu "will not be arrested, in any way, shape, or form, while in the United States of America". The post did not directly mention Mamdani. In Tuesday's video message, the mayor said, "I want to be equally clear, Benjamin Netanyahu is not welcome in New York City, nor is any other war criminal at large." Israel's ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, responded by telling the mayor, "enough." "You were elected to serve New Yorkers, not Hamas' propaganda," Danon said in a statement on social media. "Do your job!"

The ICC issued arrest warrants in 2024 for Netanyahu and others, accusing them of crimes against humanity in connection with the war in Gaza. The court said there was reason to believe Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant had used "starvation as a method of warfare" by restricting humanitarian aid and had intentionally targeted civilians in Israel's campaign against Hamas in Gaza, charges Israeli officials deny. Mamdani's latest remarks make clear that while he wants action on the warrant, he says New York City itself cannot carry it out.

With PTI Inputs

- Ends