NYC Mayor Mamdani Clarifies Stance on Arresting Netanyahu

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani stated on Tuesday that he cannot arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, despite having promised to do so during his campaign. Mamdani called on the federal government to enforce an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant if Netanyahu visits New York. In a video posted on X, he referred to Netanyahu as a 'war criminal' but acknowledged that the city lacks the legal authority to enforce the ICC warrant independently. Mamdani emphasized that he believes Netanyahu should be tried for his alleged crimes and reiterated that Netanyahu would not be welcome in New York City. This statement marks a reversal from Mamdani's earlier campaign pledge regarding Netanyahu's potential arrest. Netanyahu's office responded by dismissing the ICC as lacking jurisdiction over Americans or Israelis and criticized Mamdani's focus on the ICC instead of local issues. The ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in November 2024 over alleged war crimes related to military actions in Gaza.