Irving, Wembanyama Like Video Urging Netanyahu's Arrest Over 73,000 Gaza Deaths

Q: A US mayor demands Netanyahu's arrest, but American law forbids it. What is the real purpose of this call?

The call is mainly a political and moral statement, not a realistic legal demand. Under U.S. law, a city mayor cannot arrest a foreign head of government on an International Criminal Court warrant. The United States is not a party to the ICC, foreign-policy powers rest with the federal government, and Netanyahu would also have strong immunity protections while visiting for official purposes. Mamdani himself later acknowledged New York City lacks independent authority and shifted the demand to Washington. That makes the practical purpose clearer: to publicly brand Netanyahu as a war-crimes suspect, align himself with international accountability language, and signal solidarity with Palestinians amid the Gaza war. It also keeps attention on the ICC warrant and on allegations over civilian deaths, aid restrictions, and attacks on aid workers and journalists. The statement also serves a domestic messaging function. It tells supporters that he is willing to use his office as a platform on a high-profile human-rights issue even when he cannot act directly. Critics call that political theater, arguing the legal impossibility is precisely why the demand is useful as symbolism. The larger point is that Mamdani is trying to shape the debate, not trigger an arrest. His demand pressures the federal government rhetorically, reinforces his public identity as a sharp critic of leaders he accuses of abuses, and turns a legally impossible act into a visible statement of values.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 23

Kyrie Irving and Victor Wembanyama liked an Instagram video in which New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani called Benjamin Netanyahu a “war criminal” and said he should be arrested if he enters New York City.
In the clip, Mamdani cited the International Criminal Court warrant and accused Netanyahu of genocide, saying more than 73,000 people had been killed in Gaza and urging federal authorities to act.
The likes thrust Irving back into a sensitive area after his 2022 suspension by the Brooklyn Nets for promoting antisemitic material; he later apologized and met conditions before returning.
Jewish advocacy groups have said Mamdani’s rhetoric fuels antisemitism, and representatives for Irving and Wembanyama did not respond to requests for comment before publication.