ALBAWABA - In a statement shared on X (formerly Twitter), NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani said that he can't arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he sets foot in the city.
Mamdani wrote on X, "Benjamin Netanyahu is a war criminal," following a 2-minute-long video where he criticized the Israeli Prime Minister and his administration for their ongoing aggression on Gaza, which resulted in the killing of over 70,000 Palestinians and the injuring of more than 170,000 others, including women and children.
He said during the video, "It is clear that we do not have the independent legal authority to enforce this warrant." He added, "The federal government, however, does, and I call on them to join the ICC and execute this warrant."
Mamdani says NYC can't arrest Netanyahu, urges federal government instead
The NYC Mayor also stated, "Benjamin Netanyahu is a war criminal and the architect of the horrific genocide of the Palestinian people. Everyone with eyes, a heart, and a conscience should recognize the destruction he has caused and understand that his place is in court."
Mamdani, who is known for his pro-Palestine stance, has constantly called for Netanyahu's arrest. According to NPR, Mamdani told The New York Times that he and his city's legal department discussed arresting Netanyahu if he set foot in New York City to attend the U.N. General Assembly this September.
U.S. President Donald Trump assured that the Israeli Prime Minister "will not be arrested, in any way, shape, or form, while in the United States of America." The post didn't mention the New York City Mayor.
