New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has called on the United States’ federal government to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, disclosing that his administration has determined that New York cannot serve the “war criminal’s” International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant.

“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. It is clear that we do not have the independent legal authority to enforce this warrant,” the mayor said in a video shared on social media.

“The federal government, however, does, and I call on them to join the ICC and execute this arrest warrant,” he urged.

Mamdani declared that Netanyahu, nor any other war criminal, is welcome in New York City, emphasizing that he should be tried for his crimes.

“Benjamin Netanyahu is not welcome in New York City, nor is any other war criminal at large. As I’ve said, I agree with the ICC that Benjamin Netanyahu should be arrested and tried for his crimes, as I do for anyone else charged by the ICC,” he said.

According to a report by Reuters, Mamdani cannot order Netanyahu’s arrest due to a number of factors.

Firstly, the United States is not a member of the ICC. As it is not a state party to the Rome Statute, it does not have mechanisms under US laws to enforce the said court’s arrest warrants.

Moreover, the American Service-Members Protection Act of 2002 bars the US from extraditing any individual—regardless of nationality—to the ICC.