New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani revoked all executive orders he signed, including two regarding Israel, after former Mayor Eric Adams was indicted on corruption charges.
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WASHINGTON – In one of his opening acts, New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani quickly revoked all executive orders his predecessor, Eric Adams, signed after he was indicted on federal corruption charges, including two regarding Israel.
On his first day in office, Jan. 1, Mamdani rescinded an order signed by former Mayor Adams that prohibited city officials from boycotting or divesting companies from Israel. Mamdani also rescinded the Adams order, which adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of anti-Semitism.
This sweeping executive action rescinds all orders Adams signed after he was indicted on federal corruption charges in September 2024.
But Mr. Mamdani retained the newly created office set up by Mr. Adams in May to combat anti-Semitism.
One of Adams’ executive orders adopted a definition of anti-Semitism that included opposition to the existence of the state of Israel.
Another prohibited heads of government agencies from boycotting or selling Israeli bonds or other assets or from discriminating against the state, its people, or associated individuals or businesses. The order, in response to the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, was signed in the final weeks of Adams’ term.
The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement (BDS) aims to put economic pressure on Israel, alleging violations of international law and human rights violations against Palestinians. Since 2005, the BDS movement has called on banks, local governments, pension funds, religious organizations and universities to divest from Israel, according to the BDS website.
Mamdani, a democratic socialist who won the Democratic nomination for mayor and became the first Muslim mayor of the country’s most populous city this week, is a strong advocate of Palestinian rights. He has previously expressed support for the BDS movement and promised to review all of Adams’ executive orders.
Mamdani’s actions sparked a backlash from some conservatives and Israeli officials concerned about the mayor’s criticism of Israel.
New York City Councilor Inna Vernikov said in a social media post that the definition of anti-Semitism rescinded by Mamdani is recognized in 40 countries, including the European Union, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom and Germany. “It’s good enough for Germany, but not good enough for Mamdani,” said Vernikov, a Republican.
Mr. Vernikov also criticized Mr. Mamdani for rescinding the Adams order restricting protests in houses of worship. “Prohamas anti-Semites, emboldened by (Mamdani), are coming,” Vernikov said in the post.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry reprimanded Mamdani, and the National Jewish Defense Center also criticized his actions.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a social media post that the revocation of the IHRA’s definition of anti-Semitism and the lifting of restrictions on the boycott of Israel are “gasoline for anti-Semitism”.
The Anti-Defamation League has also targeted Mamdani in recent weeks over the appointee’s social media posts. A former aide accused of making anti-Semitic comments has resigned.
At a press conference last month, responding to one of the ADL’s reports, Mamdani said that “we have to distinguish between anti-Semitism and criticism of the Israeli government,” and that ignoring that distinction “diverts attention from the very real crisis of anti-Semitism that we see not only in our city but across the country.”
The mayor’s office has not publicly commented on the criticism surrounding the revocation of the executive order. A senior adviser to the city of Mamdani, who was not authorized to speak publicly on the issue, dismissed criticism by the Israeli government as unimportant and told USA TODAY that the mayor was adamant that fighting anti-Semitism is important.
Civil liberties groups supported Mamdani’s decision to rescind Adams’ Israel-related orders.
Donna Lieberman, executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, said Adams’ order provided an “incomplete and overly broad definition of anti-Semitism” and prevented city officials from boycotting Israel.
“Both orders appear to be aimed at suppressing speech with which Mayor Adams disagrees, which is protected by the First Amendment,” Lieberman said.
Haley Soifer, executive director of the Jewish Democratic Council of America, told USA TODAY in a statement that Mamdani’s decision to retain NYPD Chief Jessica Tisch and continue her work to combat anti-Semitism is a welcome move.
“Mayor Mamdani has repeatedly promised, including directly to us, to protect Jewish New Yorkers from rising anti-Semitism, and he must deliver on that promise,” she said. “Following the sweeping revocation of all previous executive orders, including at least two related to Israel and anti-Semitism, meaningful action must be taken to protect Jewish New Yorkers from the dangerous scourge of anti-Semitism in the days, months, and years ahead.”
During his campaign, Mamdani remained critical of Israel and its treatment of Palestinians amid the Gaza war. He accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza and said he would respect the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant issued to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu on war crimes charges in Gaza..
During a meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu at the White House in July, Trump suggested that Mamdani could limit funding to New York if he complied. “He’s going to behave well. If he doesn’t behave better, there’s going to be a big problem,” Trump said.
Some of Mamdani’s comments have been particularly controversial in New York City, which has the largest Jewish population outside of Israel. Some of his choices for the new government have raised concerns.
On December 18, the person appointed to head Mamdani’s incoming government resigned over the resurfacing of anti-Semitic social media posts. Catherine Almonte da Costa resigned just one day after she was announced as the Mamdani government’s director of appointments, which oversees the hiring of city executives.
