New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has publicly admitted that the city cannot legally detain Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he visits the United States later this year. In a video shared on social media, Mamdani explained that his administration reviewed all possible legal avenues concerning the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant for Netanyahu but determined that New York City does not have the jurisdiction to enforce it.
Despite this limitation, Mamdani urged the US federal government to acknowledge the ICC warrant and take appropriate action. He labeled Netanyahu a war criminal and stated that individuals with such allegations against them, including the Israeli leader, would not be welcome in New York City. Netanyahu is anticipated to visit New York in September to attend the United Nations General Assembly.
During his campaign for mayor, Mamdani had promised to investigate methods to uphold the ICC warrant should Netanyahu enter the city. The ICC issued the arrest warrant for Netanyahu in 2024 over alleged war crimes. However, the United States does not recognize the ICC’s jurisdiction and is not a member of the court.
In response to Mamdani’s statements, US President Donald Trump criticized the mayor’s remarks, asserting that Netanyahu would not be arrested on American soil and defending the actions of the Israeli leader. Meanwhile, Netanyahu has dismissed the controversy, expressing that he is unconcerned by the mayor’s comments.