Zohran Mamdani, New York City's mayor-elect, said the city should consider enforcing the ICC's 2024 arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu if the prime minister visits. Mamdani called New York a 'city of international law' and said the warrants — which allege attacks on civilians and use of starvation — merit full legal review. He emphasized he will not create new laws but will exhaust existing legal options and reaffirmed his pledge to protect and celebrate Jewish New Yorkers.
Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani Reaffirms Plan to Pursue ICC Arrest Warrant for Netanyahu if He Visits New York
Zohran Mamdani, New York City's mayor-elect, said the city should consider enforcing the ICC's 2024 arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu if the prime minister visits. Mamdani called New York a 'city of international law' and said the warrants — which allege attacks on civilians and use of starvation — merit full legal review. He emphasized he will not create new laws but will exhaust existing legal options and reaffirmed his pledge to protect and celebrate Jewish New Yorkers.
11:25 AM, 11/19/2025Politics
New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani this week reiterated that he would seek to enforce the International Criminal Court's (ICC) 2024 arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if the prime minister travels to the city. Mamdani has said previously that, as a 'city of international law,' New York should examine every legal avenue to uphold international warrants when possible.
Speaking live on ABC7, Mamdani defended his position while acknowledging legal limits. He noted that the United States is not a party to the ICC treaty but said the warrants deserve careful legal review.
'I've said time and again that I believe this is a city of international law, and being a city of international law means looking to uphold international law,' Mamdani said. 'And that means upholding the warrants from the International Criminal Court, whether they're for Benjamin Netanyahu or Vladimir Putin.'
Mamdani added that New Yorkers expect consistency between the city's stated values and its actions: 'We are a global city, but what New Yorkers are looking for is consistency in the way we talk about our values and follow through with them. That’s why these warrants from the International Criminal Court are worth fully exploring — every legal possibility to actually follow through on.' He emphasized he would not seek new local laws to enable an arrest, saying he will 'exhaust every legal possibility, not create my own laws.'
The remarks came as outgoing Mayor Eric Adams hosted Netanyahu for a farewell visit and reportedly encouraged the prime minister to attend Mamdani's inauguration on January 1. Adams said such a visit would be an important gesture for New York's large Jewish community.
Mamdani also reiterated his commitment to the city's Jewish residents: 'It will be my responsibility that I will uphold to not only protect Jewish New Yorkers, but to celebrate and cherish them in the city.' When he takes office on January 1, Mamdani will be the first Muslim and the first South Asian mayor of New York City.
Legal experts note that enforcing an ICC arrest warrant in a U.S. city raises complex jurisdictional and constitutional questions, including federal versus municipal authority and the fact that the U.S. is not an ICC signatory. Mamdani acknowledged those complexities while saying he would consult existing laws and pursue lawful options.
Requests for comment were made to the White House.