New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani reiterated this week that he would honor the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if the leader visits the city. Mamdani first announced this stance before winning the mayoral election.
Mamdani made his remarks as outgoing Mayor Eric Adams met with Netanyahu and encouraged him to attend Mamdani’s upcoming inauguration. During a live ABC7 appearance, Mamdani described New York as a “city of international law” and said it must uphold ICC 2024 arrest warrants, which accuse Netanyahu of targeting civilians and using starvation as a method of warfare.
“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. 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.”
Before his election, Mamdani told Fox News he would arrest Netanyahu if legally allowed, emphasizing that New York should “uplift and uphold” international legal principles. He stressed that he would not pursue new legislation to make the arrest possible but would explore all existing legal avenues.
“Unlike Donald Trump, I’m someone who looks to exist within the confines of the laws that we have,” Mamdani said. “So, I will look to exhaust every legal possibility, not create my own laws, to do so.”
Although the United States is not a signatory to the ICC treaty, Mamdani has maintained that the city should aim to uphold ICC arrest warrants while remaining fully compliant with U.S. law.
Mamdani also highlighted his commitment to protecting New York’s Jewish community. “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,” he said.
Outgoing Mayor Eric Adams has invited Netanyahu to attend Mamdani’s inauguration on January 1, stressing the importance of the Israeli leader engaging with the city’s Jewish population. After Adams leaves office, Mamdani will become the first Muslim and South Asian mayor of New York City.
