New York Mayor Mamdani Admits City Cannot Arrest Netanyahu, Urges Federal Action

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has acknowledged that his administration lacks the legal authority to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu under the International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant, but he is urging the U.S. federal government to act. President Donald Trump has firmly rejected the call, stating Netanyahu will not be arrested while in the U.S.

What happened

In a video released on July 21, 2026, Mamdani said his administration reviewed legal options and concluded that New York City does not have independent authority to execute the ICC arrest warrant. "It is clear that we do not have the independent legal authority to enforce this order," he stated Source: CNN. However, he argued that the federal government does have such authority and called on it to "join the ICC and execute this order" Source: Clarin. Mamdani also declared Netanyahu "not welcome in New York City" Source: ABC.es. This follows an earlier interview with The New York Times in which Mamdani said his team was exploring ways to arrest Netanyahu.

The reaction

Trump responded within hours, posting on Truth Social that Netanyahu "will not be arrested, under any circumstances," while he is in the U.S. Source: El Mundo. Trump has previously imposed sanctions on the ICC, which issued the warrant in November 2024 for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity related to Israel's Gaza offensive. Netanyahu's office dismissed Mamdani's efforts as a distraction Source: Milenio. Experts note that the U.S. does not recognize ICC jurisdiction and that diplomatic immunity and federal foreign policy powers make an arrest unlikely Source: Milenio.

The clash highlights deepening political divides over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the role of international justice.