New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Wednesday urged the federal government to enforce the International Criminal Court's arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should he visit the city in the fall. Speaking at a press conference at City Hall, Mamdani said, "I call on the federal government to join the International Criminal Court and to execute both this warrant as well as any warrant the International Criminal Court holds."
The remarks came less than 24 hours after Mamdani released a video statement calling Netanyahu a "war criminal" who is "not welcome in New York City." In that statement, the mayor acknowledged he had no legal authority to direct New York Police Department officers to arrest Netanyahu if he attends the United Nations General Assembly in September.
Background on Mamdani's Stance
Mamdani had previously stated during his mayoral campaign last year that he would seek Netanyahu's arrest. On Wednesday, he rejected criticism that Israel's actions in Gaza are unrelated to New York City, saying they had "offended the conscience, the morals, the mere humanity of so many New Yorkers."
His statements mark a notable position for a U.S. municipal leader and underscore his commitment to Palestinian rights. The ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in 2024, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including "starvation as a method of warfare, and ... murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts."
Reactions from Officials
Mamdani's call for federal action has drawn condemnation from pro-Israel figures. Jonathan Harounoff, Israel's former international spokesperson at the United Nations, told NY1 that the mayor should "stay in his lane," accusing him of "political theater." Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania called Mamdani a "clown" who should "sit down," adding, "America's not even part of that corrupt court."
Pro-Palestinian advocates had mixed reactions: some praised the mayor's "moral clarity," while others expressed disappointment that he walked back on his promise to seek Netanyahu's arrest. Simcha Eichenstein, a pro-Israel New York state assemblymember, had previously called on the state attorney general to review whether Mamdani's comments violated state law.
Legal and Federal Context
Neither the U.S. nor Israel are members of the ICC, which the U.S. government has long opposed. Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently threatened to "dismantle" the court by pressuring other countries to abandon it. Mamdani said his administration concluded it lacks independent legal authority to enforce the warrant, but shifted responsibility to the Trump administration.
President Donald Trump has stated Netanyahu "will not be arrested" on U.S. soil, posting on social media that the Israeli prime minister is "fighting against the Islamic Republic of Iran" and that "the only ones that should be arrested are the people that led Iran into this unprecedented spiral of death and destruction."
Netanyahu's office dismissed Mamdani's threats, calling the ICC a "kangaroo court" and suggesting the mayor "appears interested in diverting public attention from his follies." Supporters of the ICC, however, praised Mamdani's efforts. Legal scholar Adil Haque said, "My mayor is doing what any NYC mayor would do if Vladimir Putin or any other indicted war criminal planned to visit NYC. He is exploring every legal avenue and exhausting all legal options."
