- Zohran Mamdani states that New York City lacks authority to arrest Benjamin Netanyahu and calls on federal officials to take action.
- The ICC warrant accuses Netanyahu of war crimes and crimes against humanity for Israel's actions in Gaza, and Mamdani expressed agreement with the ICC's call for his arrest.
New York Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani emphasized that New York City does not possess the legal authority to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, despite an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant accusing him of war crimes. Mamdani stated,1
'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,' adding that the federal government holds that power.
President Biden, a Netanyahu ally, previously asserted that 'Benjamin Netanyahu will not be arrested, in any way, shape, or form, while in the United States of America.' Mamdani's call for federal action comes in light of the ICC's warrant, which accuses Netanyahu of war crimes and crimes against humanity due to Israel's military actions in Gaza.2
Mamdani expressed his agreement with the ICC, stating, 'As I've said, I agree with the [International Criminal Court] that Benjamin Netanyahu should be arrested and tried for his crimes, as I do for anyone else charged by the ICC.'
“The International Criminal Court's warrant accuses Netanyahu of war crimes and crimes against humanity for Israel's military actions in Gaza. Mamdani expressed agreement with the ICC's call, while the president posted that Netanyahu will not be arrested while in the United States.”
