NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK — Mayor Zohran Mamdani said New York City lacks the legal authority to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when he visits for the United Nations General Assembly, reversing a pledge he made during his mayoral campaign.
Mamdani said his administration consulted the city’s Law Department and examined every available legal avenue for executing an International Criminal Court warrant. The review concluded that municipal authorities cannot independently enforce it.
The mayor nevertheless called Netanyahu a “war criminal” and the “architect of a horrific genocide of the Palestinian people.” He urged the federal government to join the ICC and enforce its warrant. Netanyahu and the Israeli government strongly deny the allegations.
The ICC issued warrants for Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in November 2024, alleging war crimes and crimes against humanity related to the conduct of the war in Gaza. Neither the United States nor Israel is a member of the court, limiting its authority within the United States.
President Donald Trump said Netanyahu would not be arrested “in any way, shape or form” during a U.S. visit. Netanyahu is expected in New York for the General Assembly in September.
Sources:
Discover more from News Facts Network
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
