NEW YORK (GG) — New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has announced that his administration lacks the legal authority to execute an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, retreating from a campaign pledge to have the NYPD detain the Israeli leader during a UN visit. Following a legal review, Mamdani confirmed on social media that local municipalities cannot enforce international warrants. According to reporting by CNN, the city Law Department determined the NYPD lacked the independent authority to make such an arrest.
Despite this, Mamdani intensified his rhetoric, calling Netanyahu a “war criminal” and “the architect of a horrific genocide” while declaring him unwelcome in New York. As reported by The New York Times, Mamdani shifted the responsibility to the federal government to act on the warrant. However, the BBC notes that federal action is hindered by the U.S. not being a party to the Rome Statute.
The remarks prompted criticism from Israeli officials, with UN Ambassador Danny Danon dismissing the threat to The Hill as an empty political stunt. Furthermore, Reuters reports that U.S. President Donald Trump promised Netanyahu would not be arrested in the U.S.. Mamdani concluded by stating his administration would focus on protecting the right to protest during upcoming UN summits.
