Mamdani admits he has no legal authority to arrest Netanyahu

New York City Mayor Zahran Mamdani said in a new video that he does not have the legal authority to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he comes to New York City.

In a video posted on the X platform, Mamdani said, "My administration has reviewed all avenues available under applicable law to determine whether New York City can carry out the ICC arrest warrant if Benjamin Netanyahu comes here.

"Obviously, we do not have the independent legal authority to enforce this warrant, however, the federal government has that power, and I call on it to join the ICC and enforce the warrant," he said.

Mamdani considers Netanyahu's arrest in New York

The video follows an interview broadcast on Saturday, July 18, in which Mamdani said  that the New York legal department is seriously considering the possibility of issuing an arrest warrant for Netanyahu when he participates in the meetings of the United Nations General Assembly scheduled for next September.

"I think Netanyahu's place is The Hague, he's accused of war crimes, and I share that view," Mamdani said in a video podcast to the New York Times. We will do what the law allows in New York, but we will not invent new laws to that end."

Mamdani, an American politician of Indian origin, had vowed during his election campaign in 2025 to arrest the head of the occupation government if he won the position of mayor.

Mamdani based his remarks on two arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court in November 2024 against Netanyahu and his former defense minister, Yoav Gallant, on charges related to war crimes and crimes against humanity, which were recently strengthened by the Istanbul Supreme Criminal Court in July 2026 of an international arrest warrant against him, which obliges 125 member states of the Rome Statute to arrest him immediately upon entering their territory.

Trump: Netanyahu will not be arrested in the United States

US President Donald Trump commented on the controversy on his platform Truth Social on Monday, saying that Netanyahu "will not be arrested, under any circumstances or in any way."

US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday (July 21) that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "will not be arrested during his visit to the United States", after New York City Mayor Zahran Mamadani said he was considering taking the step.

In a social media post that did not mention the mayor's remarks, Trump wrote, "Benjamin Netanyahu will not be arrested in any way while he is in the United States of America."

Trump did not mention Mamdani by name in his post on Truth Social, but he praised Israel's help in the war on Iran.