The mayor of New York acknowledged that the city does not have the legal authority to execute the International Criminal Court's arrest warrant against Benjamin Netanyahu, despite having promised to do so
The mayor of New York, Zohran Mamdani, became embroiled in a new controversy after publicly acknowledging that he has no legal authority to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, despite having previously promised that he would attempt to execute the order issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) if the leader visited the city.
In a video released by the mayor's office, Mamdani admitted that, after reviewing all available legal alternatives, the city of New York lacks the authority to execute an international arrest warrant, a power that belongs exclusively to the federal government of the United States.
Mamdani acknowledged that his promise was impossible to fulfill
The mayor, identified with the more radical wing of the American left, had repeatedly assured that Netanyahu would be arrested if he entered New York.
However, he now acknowledged that "there is no independent legal authority" for the city to execute an order from the International Criminal Court, revealing that his promise lacked legal basis.
Despite this, he insisted on his attacks against the Israeli prime minister and demanded that the United States adhere to the International Criminal Court, a possibility that has historically been rejected by Washington to preserve its judicial sovereignty.
Trump backed Netanyahu and rejected any attempt at arrest
Trump backed Netanyahu and rejected any attempt at arrest
Mamdani's statements contrast with the position of President Donald Trump, who this week was emphatic in stating that Benjamin Netanyahu "will not be arrested in any way while he is in the United States".
The Israeli ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, also responded harshly to the New York mayor and accused him of spreading "blood libels" against Israel and prioritizing an ideological agenda over the needs of New York citizens.
The controversy once again exposes the divide between the Republican administration and leftist leaders like Mamdani, who have made their criticisms of Israel a central theme of their political discourse, even when acknowledging that they lack the legal tools to carry out the measures they propose.
