NYC Mayor urges US to arrest Netanyahu, calls him a ‘war criminal’

NEW YORK: New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has said the city lacks the legal authority to enforce the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, urging the US federal government to take action if the Israeli leader travels to New York.

In a video message shared on social media Tuesday, Mamdani said his administration had reviewed all available legal options to determine whether the city could execute the ICC warrant but concluded that such authority rests solely with the federal government.

“My 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,” he added.

Mamdani also described Netanyahu as “a war criminal” and accused him of being “the architect of a horrific genocide against the Palestinian people.” He said he supports the ICC’s position that Netanyahu should face trial, adding that the same principle should apply to anyone charged by the court.

Benjamin Netanyahu is a war criminal. pic.twitter.com/YRezmW6YVx

— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) July 22, 2026

The International Criminal Court, based in The Hague, issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu in 2024, saying it had reasonable grounds to believe he bore responsibility for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity linked to Israel’s military offensive in Gaza following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack.

The mayor’s remarks came a day after US President Donald Trump said Netanyahu would not face arrest if he attends the United Nations General Assembly in New York this September.

Responding to Mamdani’s comments, Netanyahu’s office rejected the allegations and dismissed the ICC as a “kangaroo court.”

The latest exchange highlights the growing political and legal divisions surrounding the ICC’s arrest warrant, as questions continue over its enforcement and the jurisdiction of US authorities should Netanyahu travel to New York.