TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has backed away from his campaign pledge to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should he visit the city, saying his administration has concluded it lacks the legal authority to enforce an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
In a video posted on social media Tuesday, Mamdani said his legal team had reviewed every available legal avenue before determining that New York City cannot independently execute the ICC warrant.
"We do not have the independent legal authority to enforce this," Mamdani said. "The federal government, however, does. And I call on them to join the ICC and execute this warrant."
Despite that conclusion, Mamdani reiterated that Netanyahu is "not welcome" in New York City, where the Israeli leader is expected to travel in September to attend the United Nations General Assembly.
The ICC issued arrest warrants in 2024 for Netanyahu and a Hamas commander over alleged war crimes committed during the Gaza conflict. Israel rejects the allegations, while the United States is not a member of the Rome Statute, the treaty establishing the ICC, and therefore is under no legal obligation to enforce its warrants.
According to BBC, Mamdani's latest remarks represent a shift from statements he made during his mayoral campaign, when he repeatedly described Netanyahu as a war criminal and pledged to order his arrest if he entered New York. In a recent interview with The New York Times, Mamdani said his administration had held "an active conversation" with law enforcement agencies about the possibility of enforcing the ICC warrant before ultimately concluding that such authority rests with the federal government.
President Donald Trump has dismissed any suggestion that Netanyahu could be arrested while in the United States.
"He will not be arrested, in any way, shape or form," Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding that the Israeli leader was fighting against Iran and defending Israel's security.
As reportied by Fox News, Netanyahu's office responded by condemning Mamdani's earlier arrest proposal and describing the ICC as "a kangaroo court" that has no jurisdiction over either Israel or the United States.
In a statement posted on X, the Israeli prime minister's office called the warrant "bogus" and argued it had been issued by former ICC prosecutor Karim Khan shortly before allegations of sexual misconduct against him became public. The office also accused Mamdani of targeting Israel to divert attention from problems facing New York City.
"Instead of backing Khan's criminal behaviour, Mr. Mamdani should focus on fixing the damage his policies have caused New York," the statement said. It further defended Israel's military campaign in Gaza, arguing that the country has taken extraordinary measures to minimize civilian casualties while fighting Hamas, which it described as a terrorist organization using civilians as human shields.
The controversy has also drawn criticism from political figures across the United States.
Fox News reported that former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo dismissed Mamdani's earlier arrest pledge as political theater, saying there was no realistic possibility Netanyahu would be detained during a visit to New York.
Former New York City Mayor Eric Adams likewise criticized the remarks, warning that threatening to arrest the leader of one of America's closest allies during the UN General Assembly could place U.S. diplomats, military personnel, and officials abroad at greater risk.
"Leadership means understanding that your words have consequences," Adams wrote on X.
Pennsylvania Democratic Senator John Fetterman also rejected Mamdani's position, saying the mayor has no authority to enforce an ICC warrant in the United States and should instead focus on governing New York City.
The debate comes as divisions within the Democratic Party over U.S. policy toward Israel continue to deepen. Recent polling cited by the BBC found that 58 percent of Democratic voters believe the United States is too supportive of Israel, up from 45 percent in 2024.
The shift in public opinion has intensified scrutiny of Democratic leaders' positions on the Gaza conflict, with Mamdani emerging as one of the party's most outspoken critics of Israel's military campaign.
Read: Trump Responds to Calls for Netanyahu's Arrest in New York
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