The Israeli government has accused New York Mayor Zoran Mamdani of anti-Semitism after he reversed his predecessor's orders banning city departments from boycotting Israel and addressing anti-Semitic statements.
“On his first day as mayor of New York, Mamdani showed his true colors: he overturned the IHRA's definition of anti-Semitism and lifted restrictions on boycotting Israel,“ the Israeli Foreign Ministry wrote on social media.
The ministry stressed that “this is not leadership“, but “anti-Semitic gasoline poured on an open flame“.
Israel's Consul General in New York, Ofir Akunis, also believes that Mamdani's decision poses “an immediate threat to the safety of Jewish communities in New York and could lead to an increase in violent anti-Semitic attacks throughout the city“.
Mamdani himself did not directly comment on the Israeli government's accusations. However, he said that “protecting New York's Jewish population will be a priority“ for his administration, quoted by The New York Times. “My administration will also be distinguished by a city government that will relentlessly fight hatred and division. And that includes fighting the scourge of anti-Semitism,“ he stressed.
New York is home to the largest Jewish community outside Israel, the newspaper notes. The article notes that Mamdani has previously repeatedly criticized Tel Aviv and its policies towards the Palestinians, for which he has received criticism from the Israeli authorities. Thus, in October 2025, the Israeli government called Mamdani a person who "justifies terror and normalizes anti-Semitism."