Consul General of Israel in New York, Ambassador Ofir Akunis, on Friday criticized New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani for cancelling executive orders related to Israel, which were issued by his predecessor.
"The Mayor of New York said he would be a mayor for everyone, yet he is taking dangerous steps in the exact opposite direction," said Akunis.
“The decisions to revoke the IHRA definition of antisemitism and to allow for boycotts against Israel are actions that pose an immediate threat to the safety of Jewish communities in New York City and could lead to an increase in violent antisemitic attacks throughout the city," he warned.
On Thursday, hours after being sworn-in, Mamdani issued an executive order revoking all executive orders signed by his predecessor, Eric Adams, after September 26, 2024, the date of Adams’ indictment.
The move means that among the orders to be cancelled was one signed by Adams in June of 2025 formally recognizing the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism.
Another executive order to be cancelled, signed by the now-former mayor last month, prohibited mayoral appointees and agency staff from boycotting and disinvesting from Israel.
At the same time, Mamdani told reporters that the Mayor’s Office to Combat Antisemitism, recently created by Adams, will continue its operations.
Jewish leaders in the US condemned Mamdani's cancellation of the two executive orders. William Daroff, CEO of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish organizations, stated: "Mayor Mamdani's decision to cancel New York's adoption of the IHRA definition of antisemitism, along with related presidential orders aimed at addressing antisemitic discrimination, is a troubling indicator of the direction he is leading the city, just one day after taking office."
"Its cancellation reduces New York's ability to identify and respond to antisemitism at a time when the number of incidents continues to rise. New York City should clearly lead in moral integrity and determination in confronting antisemitism. This decision signals the opposite direction," Daroff warned.
Minister of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism Amichai Chikli also criticized Mamdani.
“It is no coincidence that one of Mayor Mamdani’s first actions was an attempt to cancel the IHRA definition of antisemitism. He knows very well that, according to that definition, he himself falls under the category of antisemitic," Chikli said. "Instead of confronting reality, he is trying to change the rules."
"It does not stop there. At the same time, he is working to lift the ban on boycotts of Israel and to erase official statements made by his predecessor, a friend of Israel, Eric Adams, regarding antisemitism in New York. This is a systematic attempt to erase the fight against antisemitism and to legitimize extremist positions under the guise of social justice. The fact that such moves are taking place in New York City, the city with the largest Jewish population in the world outside of Israel, is a serious warning sign," added Chikli.
(Arutz Sheva-Israel National News' North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Israel National News articles, however, is Israeli time.)