Mayor of New York City (NYC) Zohran Mamdani has stated that a valid International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister (PM) Benjamin Netanyahu should be taken seriously, speaking during a press conference regarding legal options for enforcement.
“We’re speaking about someone who’s the subject of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant. And he’s the subject of this arrest warrant for alleged crimes against humanity, for war crimes, and he’s the architect of the genocide against Palestinians in Gaza as Israel’s prime minister,” Mamdani said.
Mamdani stated that the comments rest on facts of public record rather than personal opinion.
“I believe that when someone is charged with an International Criminal Court warrant, it’s something that should be taken seriously whether it’s Benjamin Netanyahu or it’s Vladimir Putin or whomever else. What I’ve also made clear is that my administration will follow all applicable local laws,” Mamdani said.
The mayor reiterated the position regarding compliance with municipal statutes. “If someone is charged with a warrant by the International Criminal Court for these kinds of crimes, that’s something I believe should be honoured. And I’ve also said that we will follow our local laws,” Mamdani added.
The press conference followed statements by American President Donald Trump, who wrote on Truth Social that Netanyahu will not face arrest in any form while inside the US. The post made no direct reference to the mayor but credited Israel with assistance in the Iran war.
Prior to the press conference, Mamdani addressed the issue during an interview broadcast on a video podcast. The mayor confirmed that the city law department is considering options under the law.
“I believe that Prime Minister Netanyahu belongs in The Hague. He’s a war criminal who has been charged by the International Criminal Court,” Mamdani told the podcast.
The International Criminal Court issued the warrant in 2024 over war crimes charges during the genocide in Gaza. Israel rejected the court jurisdiction and denied committing war crimes.
Israel responded to the mayor on X, calling the body a “kangaroo court” and the warrant “bogus”.
The post stated that Mamdani appears interested in diverting attention from follies and attacking the leader of Israel.
The court was established in 2002 with jurisdiction to prosecute genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. The US and Israel are not members of the court.
Netanyahu travels to New York every September for the gathering of world leaders at the United Nations (UN) General Assembly. Mamdani, who took office in January, stated during the mayoral campaign that police forces would arrest Netanyahu if he entered the city.
