New York mayor says city cannot enforce ICC warrant for Netanyahu

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani said his administration does not have the independent legal authority to enforce the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he comes to the city. Mamdani called on the US federal government to act instead.

In a short video message posted to social media on Tuesday, Mamdani said his administration had reviewed legal options and concluded that New York City could not carry out the ICC warrant on its own. He said the federal government has that authority and urged it to join the court in enforcing the warrant.

The International Criminal Court, based in The Hague, said in 2024 that it had reasonable grounds to believe Netanyahu was responsible for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity linked to Israel’s offensive in Gaza after the October 7, 2023 cross-border attack by Hamas.

US President Donald Trump said on Monday that Netanyahu would not be arrested if he attended the United Nations General Assembly summit in New York in September.

Mamdani said he agreed with the ICC that Netanyahu should be arrested and tried, and said the same should apply to anyone charged by the court. Netanyahu’s office rejected Mamdani’s position and described the ICC as a kangaroo court.