New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has admitted that the city cannot legally detain Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he visits the United States later this year. Despite efforts to explore legal avenues pertaining to the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) arrest warrant for Netanyahu, Mamdani stated that New York City does not have the jurisdiction to enforce such an action.
In a video shared on social media, Mamdani urged the US federal government to acknowledge the ICC warrant and take necessary measures, labeling Netanyahu a war criminal. He emphasized that Netanyahu and others with similar allegations should not be welcomed in New York City. This statement comes ahead of Netanyahu’s expected visit to New York in September for the United Nations General Assembly. During his campaign, Mamdani had promised to investigate options for enforcing the ICC warrant if the Israeli leader came to the city.
The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu in 2024 on charges related to alleged war crimes. However, the US does not recognize the ICC’s jurisdiction and is not a member of the organization, complicating any potential legal actions on American soil.
In response to Mamdani’s comments, US President Donald Trump dismissed the mayor’s remarks, assuring that Netanyahu would not face arrest in the United States and defended the Israeli prime minister’s actions. Meanwhile, Netanyahu himself has brushed off the controversy, expressing no concern over Mamdani’s statements.