NYC mayor admits no authority to arrest Netanyahu

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has publicly acknowledged that his administration lacks the legal authority to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, despite a high-profile campaign pledge to do so. The mayor made the admission in a video statement released on July 22, which also contained sharp criticism of the Israeli leader.

In the video, Mamdani stated that after a legal review, it was clear the city does not have the independent legal authority to enforce an International Criminal Court arrest warrant issued for Netanyahu in November 2024. The ICC warrant alleges war crimes and crimes against humanity related to the war in Gaza. Mamdani used the platform to accuse Netanyahu of being responsible for the killing of more than 73,000 people and the maiming of tens of thousands of children, labeling him a war criminal and the architect of a horrific genocide against the Palestinian people.

The mayor’s reversal ends months of speculation over a promise he first made as a candidate in late 2024, when he declared he would direct the New York Police Department to arrest Netanyahu if the prime minister visited the city. Mamdani now says that while the city cannot act,...