Israel Accuses New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani of Antisemitism
Mamdani revoked two executive orders issued by the previous mayor that restricted city agencies from boycotting Israel and treated certain criticism of Israel as antisemitic
Tel Aviv: The Israeli government on Friday accused New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani of “antisemitism” after he revoked two executive orders issued by the previous mayor that restricted city agencies from boycotting Israel and treated certain criticism of Israel as antisemitic.
Reacting to the move, the Israeli Foreign Ministry wrote on X, “On his very first day as New York City Mayor, Mamdani shows his true face: He scraps the IHRA definition of antisemitism and lifts restrictions on boycotting Israel. This isn't leadership. It's antisemitic gasoline on an open fire.”
Mamdani signed the orders on Thursday afternoon, only hours after his swearing-in at City Hall, withdrawing directives issued by former mayor Eric Adams, according to CNN.
Defending his decision at a press conference on Friday, Mamdani said several Jewish groups in the city had raised concerns about the broader definition of antisemitism. He noted that incoming mayors have the authority to keep, withdraw, or amend existing executive orders.
“What we will do is actually deliver on our commitment to protect Jewish New Yorkers in a manner that is able to actually fulfil that,” Mamdani said, as reported by CNN.
Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist, was sworn in early Thursday as New York City’s 112th mayor. At 34, he became the city’s first Muslim mayor, its first South Asian mayor, and the youngest to hold the office in more than a century.
“This is truly the honour and the privilege of a lifetime,” Mamdani said after taking the oath, CNN reported.
He was sworn in shortly after midnight during a private ceremony attended by his wife, artist Rama Duwaji, and his parents, filmmaker Mira Nair and academic Mahmood Mamdani.
The former Queens-based state assemblyman rose to prominence after a surprise victory in the Democratic primary last summer, campaigning on easing the cost-of-living burden. His platform included pledges for universal childcare, a rent freeze for nearly two million rent-stabilised tenants, and making city buses “fast and free,” according to CNN.