New York Mayor Urges US Government to Act on Netanyahu ICC Warrant

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has said the city does not have the legal authority to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu under an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant, urging the U.S. federal government to take action instead.

In a video posted on social media on Tuesday, Mamdani said his administration had examined all legal options available to determine whether New York City could execute the ICC’s arrest warrant if Netanyahu were to visit the city.

“Our administration has reviewed every avenue available under applicable law to determine whether New York City could execute the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant if Benjamin Netanyahu came here,” Mamdani said.

“It is clear that we do not have the independent legal authority to enforce this warrant. The federal government, however, does, and I call on them to join the ICC and execute this warrant.”

The ICC, based in The Hague, issued arrest warrants in 2024, stating there were reasonable grounds to believe Netanyahu bore responsibility for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity linked to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza following the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 attack.

Israel has rejected the allegations, while the United States is not a party to the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC.

The mayor’s comments come amid continued international debate over the court’s jurisdiction and the enforcement of its arrest warrants.