Mamdani Backs Off Netanyahu Arrest Pledge, Still Calls Him a 'War Criminal'

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani walked back his campaign promise to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he visits the city, acknowledging his administration lacks the legal authority to enforce an International Criminal Court warrant against him.

In a video posted to social media, Mamdani said his office had exhausted its legal options ahead of Netanyahu's expected appearance at the United Nations General Assembly in September.

"My administration has reviewed every avenue available under applicable law to determine whether New York City could execute the International Criminal Court's arrest warrant if Benjamin Netanyahu came here," Mamdani said. "It is clear that we do not have the independent legal authority to enforce this warrant. The federal government, however, does, and I call on them to join the ICC and execute this warrant."

The reversal marks a departure from Mamdani's rhetoric on the campaign trail, where he repeatedly said the city would uphold the ICC's 2024 warrant, which accuses Netanyahu of war crimes and crimes against humanity tied to Israel's military campaign in Gaza.

Despite the legal retreat, Mamdani did not soften his language toward the Israeli leader. In the same video, he called Netanyahu a "war criminal" and "the architect of a horrific genocide against the Palestinian people." He added: "Benjamin Netanyahu is not welcome in New York City, nor is any other war criminal at large."

President Donald Trump responded that Netanyahu would not be arrested "in any way, shape, or form" during any U.S. visit.

The about-face contrasts with Mamdani's earlier public statements. Before winning office, he told Fox News' Martha MacCallum that his administration would "uphold arrest warrants by the International Criminal Court" while abiding "with all of the laws in front of us." When MacCallum pressed him on whether NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch would authorize such an arrest, Mamdani declined to give a direct answer.

Netanyahu has since confirmed he is coming regardless. In an interview on "Hannity," he said: "I'm going to New York. I'm going to speak the truth in front of this hate-spewing elected official who's pitting one group of New Yorkers against the others. He's turning them against New York Jews."

That timeline sets up a direct collision course: a mayor who says the man is not welcome in his city, and a prime minister who has already booked the trip.