New York Mayor Mamdani Says City Lack Authority to Detain Netanyahu, Urges Federal Action

New York Mayor Mamdani Says City Lack Authority to Detain Netanyahu, Urges Federal Action

• Mamdani and the city’s legal team are evaluating the possibility of detaining Netanyahu should he attend the upcoming UN General Assembly in New York this September.

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani stated on Tuesday that the city lacks the legal authority to enforce an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but urged the federal government to take action. In a video posted on X, Mamdani labeled Netanyahu a “war criminal” and declared that he is not welcome in New York. He emphasized that while the city cannot independently execute the warrant, the federal government possesses the necessary jurisdiction and called on it to cooperate with the ICC to carry out the arrest. Mamdani had previously disclosed to The New York Times that his administration and the city’s legal counsel were examining the feasibility of detaining Netanyahu should he visit New York for the UN General Assembly in September. Earlier, former President Donald Trump asserted on social media that Netanyahu would not be detained under any circumstances while in the United States, a comment that did not directly reference Mamdani. Throughout his mayoral campaign last year, Mamdani pledged to direct the New York City Police Department to arrest Netanyahu based on the ICC warrant related to his conduct during the Gaza conflict. On Tuesday, Mamdani explained that after reviewing all available legal options, his office concluded that the city lacks the authority to execute the warrant. He reiterated that Netanyahu, as well as any other individual accused of war crimes, is not welcome in the city. Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon responded, telling the mayor to focus on serving New Yorkers rather than spreading what he described as Hamas propaganda, and urged him to “do your job.” The ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and other officials in 2024, alleging crimes against humanity linked to the Gaza war. The court contends that Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant employed starvation as a tactic of war by limiting humanitarian aid and deliberately targeting civilians during Israel’s operation against Hamas—claims that Israeli authorities reject.

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