Mamdani says he won't try to arrest Israel's Netanyahu, acknowledges NYC doesn't have legal authority

Key Points:

• New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani acknowledged that the city lacks the legal authority to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu despite previously vowing to enforce an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant if Netanyahu visited the city.
• Mamdani urged the U.S. federal government to take action against Netanyahu, labeling him a "war criminal" responsible for genocide against Palestinians, but clarified the city would follow applicable local laws.
• The ICC issued arrest warrants in 2024 for Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes related to Israel's military actions in Gaza following Hamas' October 2023 attack, which killed about 1,200 Israelis and over 73,000 Palestinians according to Gaza's Health Ministry.
• Israel has strongly rejected the ICC charges, calling the court biased and politically motivated, and defends its military operations as efforts to protect civilians while blaming Hamas for using populated areas for attacks.
• U.S. officials, including former President Donald Trump, have stated that Netanyahu will not be arrested while in the United States, reflecting the country's non-recognition of the ICC's jurisdiction.