New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has declared that the city lacks the independent legal authority to enforce the International Criminal Court's (ICC) arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but he has called on the US federal government to take action should Netanyahu visit the United States.
In a video statement posted to social media, Mamdani described Netanyahu as a war criminal and the architect of a horrific genocide against the Palestinian people. The ICC issued the warrant in November 2024, alleging Netanyahu's responsibility for war crimes including starvation as a method of warfare and intentionally directing attacks against civilians, as well as crimes against humanity.
Mamdani, a Democrat elected as mayor in November 2025 on a platform focused on the cost-of-living crisis, said he agrees with the ICC that Netanyahu should be arrested and put on trial. However, after reviewing every legal avenue available, his administration determined it does not have the independent legal authority to enforce the warrant. The federal government, he argued, does have that authority, and he urged it to join the ICC and execute the warrant.
International and Domestic Reactions
Netanyahu's office has dismissed the ICC as a kangaroo court and labeled the warrant bogus. US President Donald Trump stated on Monday that Netanyahu will not be arrested in any way while in the United States. Netanyahu could attend the United Nations General Assembly summit in New York in September, which would bring the issue to a head.
The ICC's warrant has deepened divisions within Europe, where EU member states are split over how to respond. Some capitals, particularly in the Nordic and Benelux countries, have signaled they would enforce the warrant if Netanyahu enters their territory, while others, such as Hungary and the Czech Republic, have expressed solidarity with Israel. The European Union's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, has urged member states to respect the ICC's independence, but the bloc remains divided. This tension is part of a broader debate over EU policy toward Israeli settlements, as EU foreign ministers largely back a full ban on Israeli settlement trade, though unanimity rules have stalled a final decision.
Mamdani's stance places him at odds with the Trump administration, which has signaled it will not cooperate with the ICC. The mayor's call for federal action is unlikely to be heeded, given the current political climate in Washington. However, his statement underscores the growing international pressure on Netanyahu, who faces an election in Israel on October 27, widely seen as a referendum on his post-Gaza leadership.
The legal and diplomatic standoff highlights the complex interplay between international law, national sovereignty, and domestic politics. For European observers, the case serves as a test of the ICC's authority and the willingness of states to uphold its warrants, a question that resonates deeply across the continent.
