Sohran Mamdani, Mayor of New York City, reiterated that "Netanyahu is not welcome in New York City" and acknowledged that New York authorities lack the legal power to act on the International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but called on the US federal government to promptly enforce the ICC warrant.
Sohran Mamdani, Mayor of New York City, stated that New York authorities do not have the legal authority to enforce the International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but believes the US federal government should take action instead.
Mamdani posted a video on platform X stating that New York’s administration has examined all legal avenues and concluded that the city does not have independent authority to enforce the warrant. "It is clear that we do not have independent legal authority to enforce this warrant, but the federal government does, and I urge the US government to join the ICC and enforce the warrant," he said.
The New York City mayor also called Netanyahu a "war criminal," emphasizing that "Benjamin Netanyahu is not welcome in New York City, just like other war criminals who remain at large."
Previously, Mamdani told The New York Times that he and the city’s legal team were exploring the possibility of ordering the New York Police Department to arrest Netanyahu if he attends the United Nations General Assembly in New York this September.
During his mayoral campaign last year, Mamdani repeatedly stated that if elected, he would attempt to arrest Netanyahu under the ICC warrant, which accuses the Israeli prime minister of responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity related to military operations in the Gaza Strip.
However, after taking office, he acknowledged that US law does not allow New York City’s municipal government to carry out such actions independently.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump posted on social media Monday (21 Jul) that Netanyahu "will not be arrested in any form as long as he is in the United States," although he did not mention Mamdani directly.
At the same time, Danny Danon, Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, responded to the mayor’s remarks by saying, "Enough. You were elected to serve New Yorkers, not to spread Hamas propaganda. Do your job."
The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in 2024, stating there is reasonable belief both may have committed crimes against humanity and war crimes during the Gaza conflict.
The ICC accused Israeli leaders of using humanitarian aid restrictions as a "method of warfare by starving the population" and of deliberately targeting civilians in military operations against Hamas. However, the Israeli government denies all allegations, asserting that its military actions are legitimate self-defense and responses to Hamas attacks.