Israel Accuses Mamdani of Throwing 'Antisemitic Gasoline on an Open Fire' with Day 1 Executive Orders
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has come under attack for nullifying pro-Israel executive orders signed by former Mayor Eric Adams.
As noted by the Daily News, one overturned order adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of anti-Semitism.
Another Adams order sent to the trash heap sought to oppose the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement by banning any city contracting actions “that discriminates against the state of Israel, Israeli citizens based on their national origin, or individuals or entities based on their association with Israel.”
Israel’s Foreign Ministry reacted to the definition change with anger.
“On his very first day as @NYCMayor, Mamdani shows his true face: He scraps the IHRA definition of antisemitism and lifts restrictions on boycotting Israel,” it posted on X.
On his very first day as @NYCMayor, 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.— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) January 2, 2026
“This isn’t leadership. It’s antisemitic gasoline on an open fire,” the post said.
The Times of Israel noted that “The IHRA definition could have posed a problem for Mamdani because the definition says that denying the Jewish people the right to self-determination is discriminatory. Mamdani has repeatedly refused to recognize Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state.”
The report noted that the definition said it was anti-Semitic to claim “that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor.”
Mamdani was also criticized for deleting posts from the official mayoral X account that spoke of fighting anti-Semitism, according to the New York Post. The deletions came before the Muslim mayor took office.
“It is difficult to overstate how disturbing it is that one of your very first acts as Mayor of New York City, on your very first day in office, was to delete official @NYCMayor tweets addressing the protection of Jewish New Yorkers,” the National Jewish Advocacy Center wrote to Mamdani.
Hard to overstate how disturbing it is that one of the first acts of the new @NYCMayor was to delete official tweets and EO’s addressing the protection of Jewish New Yorkers.
The letter we sent to @ZohranKMamdani, the DOI Commissioner, and the COIB Executive Director.
Let’s go. pic.twitter.com/vEcR3w5yAF— Mark Goldfeder (@MarkGoldfeder) January 2, 2026
“At a moment of unprecedented antisemitic intimidation, violence, and exclusion in the City the decision to erase official statements affirming the safety and protection of Jews is not merely tone-deaf, it is shameful,” the letter said.
“It sends a message, whether intended or not, that Jewish New Yorkers are uniquely underserving of continuity, clarity, or reassurance from their own government,” the letter added.
Mamdani @NYCMayor just UNDID previous executive order which adopted the IHRA definition of antisemitism. IHRA protects from discrimination Jews who believe in self determination and provides clarity on the definition. @GovKathyHochul knew all along that Mamdani was going to… pic.twitter.com/548pXZ8Ydu
— Councilwoman Inna Vernikov (@InnaVernikov) January 1, 2026
As noted by Politico, Mamdani has insisted he is not anti-Semitic, and has claimed his criticism of Israel is based on his support of human rights.
Mamdani told the Daily News that the orders he revoked were “against the interests of working-class people and what they need from their mayor.”
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