Mayor Mamdani admits inability to arrest Netanyahu citing federal law limits.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani faced immediate backlash after admitting Tuesday night he cannot arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He issued the statement via video, clarifying that while he wanted to detain the leader, the law stood in his way. Mamdani called Netanyahu a 'war criminal' and urged Washington to act on the outstanding International Criminal Court warrant.

'It is clear that we do not have the independent legal authority to enforce this warrant,' Mamdani said. 'The federal government, however, does.'

He added firmly that Netanyahu is not welcome in New York City. Nor should any other war criminal at large find safety there. This admission came after Mamdani repeatedly expressed a desire to make the arrest happen despite knowing legal hurdles existed earlier.

Critics pounced on the reversal quickly. Republican Council member Inna Vernikov mocked him on X for failing to follow through on a campaign promise. She asked why he did not have his legal team evaluate the idea before making it a core pledge to his comrades. Conservative commentator Stephen Miller joined the chorus, calling the move 'just another broken campaign promise for his goober electorate.'

The situation gets complicated next week. Netanyahu is expected in DC for Lindsey Graham's funeral and will travel to New York in September for the UN General Assembly.

Honig told CNN's 'The Source' that it was utterly ridiculous for the mayor of New York City to suggest he might have the authority to order such an arrest. She noted that the US does not recognize ICC jurisdiction, meaning the warrant holds no legal weight here. International diplomacy remains a federal purview, not a local city responsibility. This explains why Mamdani asked a higher power to take action against Netanyahu instead of acting himself.

Mamdani addressed some criticisms today at an unrelated press conference. 'I have made clear both that I believe that this is an arrest warrant that should be executed and also that I would follow the laws that we had,' he said. His office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

This isn't Mamdani's first brush with diplomatic friction. Earlier this month, his international affairs chief reportedly tried to meet with Iran's ambassador to the UN. The State Department rebuked the effort sharply.

Senator Tim Scott replied to Mamdani's video on X, declaring that labeling Netanyahu a war criminal was 'utterly ridiculous.' Even Donald Trump weighed in earlier this week, defending the Israeli PM on Truth Social. He wrote plainly that Benjamin Netanyahu will not be arrested, in any way, shape, or form, while in the United States of America.

Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant face accusations from the ICC dating to 2024. They are accused of committing crimes against humanity during Israel's war in Gaza. The federal government holds the power here, not a mayor speaking for all cities.