New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s plan to arrest Benjamin Netanyahu came to a screeching halt and turned into a social media post on Tuesday night after he realized mayors cannot arrest foreign leaders.
“My administration has reviewed every avenue available under applicable law to determine whether New York City could execute the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant if Benjamin Netanyahu came here,” he said. “It is clear that we do not have the independent legal authority to enforce this warrant.”
Mamdani then said that even though his administration does not have the authority to arrest Netanyahu, he wants “to be equally clear, Benjamin Netanyahu is not welcome in New York City.”
Mamdani then called on President Donald Trump to execute the International Criminal Court’s warrant. On Monday, Trump said that Netanyahu will not be arrested “in any way, shape, or form while in the United States of America.”
Trump’s comments came after Netanyahu’s office responded to Mamdani’s original arrest threat, saying, “The ICC is a kangaroo court that has no jurisdiction over Americans or Israelis. Its bogus arrest warrant against Prime Minister Netanyahu was issued by a disgraced former ICC Prosecutor, Karim Khan, a few days before allegations of sexual misconduct against him became public. It was a clear attempt by Khan to divert public attention and seek protection from scrutiny.”
“Instead of backing Khan’s criminal behavior, Mr. Mamdani should focus on fixing the damage his policies have caused New York,” Netanyahu’s office added.
The Israeli prime minister is expected to travel to New York City for the United Nations General Assembly this fall.
While Mamdani focuses on condemning Netanyahu, New York City continues to face challenges with violent crime and the economy. On Monday, an anti-ICE activist lit an incendiary device at the entrance to the city’s largest immigration court. Months earlier, two men threw improvised explosive devices into a crowd of people protesting. The bombs did not detonate.
Affordability — the centerpiece of Mamdani’s campaign — has also remained a major concern. In the last month, Manhattan’s median asking rent climbed to a record $5,295, an 8% increase from a year earlier.
In his seventh month in office, Mamdani’s approval rating sits at under 40%. While Mamdani remains most popular with young New Yorkers, his popularity with baby boomers saw a large increase, from 21% to 35%, since he was elected.
Mamdani’s success has lifted the democratic socialist movement across the country with other members gaining traction. Two Democratic Socialists of America-backed candidates recently won congressional primaries for U.S. House in New York City.
