Mamdani: Netanyahu is a war criminal, but New York cannot arrest him

What the report says

Al Jazeera reported that New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani released a video statement on July 22, 2026, saying Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should face trial for war crimes. According to the outlet, Mamdani described Netanyahu as a war criminal and referred to an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court.

The statement came after several days of speculation over whether New York authorities could act against Netanyahu if he were in the city. Mamdani said they could not, stating that New York does not have the legal authority to arrest the Israeli leader. The report did not include details on any planned Netanyahu travel to New York or any specific city action beyond the mayor’s video statement.

The issue matters because ICC warrants can create diplomatic and legal pressure, but enforcement depends on governments and applicable legal obligations, not on the court’s own police force. In general background, the United States is not a party to the ICC, and local officials’ powers in foreign affairs and international criminal enforcement are limited by federal law and jurisdictional rules.

Al Jazeera’s report framed Mamdani’s remarks as both a political condemnation of Netanyahu and a clarification of the city’s legal limits. The article did not report a response from Netanyahu, the Israeli government, federal US officials or the ICC.