New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced on Tuesday that his administration lacks the legal standing to enforce the International Criminal Court warrant for the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Mamdani urged the federal government to intervene and carry out the directive instead.
In a video statement, Mamdani confirmed that a legal review proved the city cannot independently execute an ICC order. He explicitly called for federal authorities to align with the ICC and take action. The Hague-based court previously determined there are reasonable grounds to suspect Netanyahu committed war crimes and crimes against humanity during the conflict in Gaza triggered by the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack.
President Donald Trump recently pledged that Netanyahu would remain free from arrest during his planned visit to the United Nations General Assembly in New York. While Mamdani voiced his personal support for the ICC’s position and argued that Netanyahu should face trial, the Prime Minister’s office rejected the mayor’s remarks, labeling the court illegitimate.
