New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has said the city has no legal authority to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu despite the International Criminal Court (ICC) issuing an arrest warrant against him.
_x000D_Speaking in a video posted on social media, Mamdani urged the US federal government to recognise the ICC’s jurisdiction and take responsibility for enforcing the warrant if Netanyahu visits the United States.
_x000D_ _x000D_Mamdani Urges Federal Government to Act
_x000D_Mamdani described Netanyahu as a “war criminal” and said his administration had carefully reviewed whether New York City could legally execute the ICC warrant.
_x000D_According to the mayor, legal experts determined that the city does not have the independent authority to arrest a foreign leader based on an ICC warrant.
_x000D_He argued that any action would have to come from the federal government, which has jurisdiction over international legal matters.
_x000D_ _x000D_Calls for the US to Join the ICC
_x000D_The New York mayor also called on Washington to join the International Criminal Court and cooperate with its legal processes.
_x000D_He said he supports the ICC’s position and believes that anyone facing serious international criminal allegations should appear before a court of law, regardless of their position or nationality.
_x000D_Mamdani added that accountability should apply equally to all individuals charged by the court.
_x000D_ _x000D_ICC Accuses Netanyahu of War Crimes
_x000D_The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in 2024 after stating there were reasonable grounds to believe Netanyahu bore responsibility for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity linked to Israel’s military operations in Gaza following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks.
_x000D_The allegations remain strongly disputed by the Israeli government.
_x000D_ _x000D_Trump Says Netanyahu Will Not Be Arrested
_x000D_US President Donald Trump said earlier this week that Netanyahu would not face arrest if he attends the United Nations General Assembly in New York this September.
_x000D_Trump’s remarks came amid growing debate over how the United States should respond to the ICC’s decision.
_x000D_The US is not a member of the International Criminal Court and does not recognize its jurisdiction over American citizens or many of its allies.
_x000D_ _x000D_Israel Rejects ICC Allegations
_x000D_Netanyahu’s office has dismissed both the ICC warrant and Mamdani’s comments.
_x000D_Israeli officials have repeatedly rejected the court’s authority, describing the ICC as politically motivated and denying all allegations of war crimes.
_x000D_The issue continues to generate international debate as legal, diplomatic and political tensions surrounding the Gaza conflict remain high.
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