New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani has rescinded a series of executive orders issued by his predecessor, Eric Adams, including some related to Israel and anti-Semitism.
The revocations date from when Mr Adams was indicted on federal corruption charges in September 2025. He has denied any wrongdoing and the charges were later dropped by President Donald Trump's Justice Department.
Mr Mamdani’s office called the action, which took place hours after the new mayor was inaugurated, “a fresh start for the incoming administration”.
Among the orders revoked was one that barred certain city officials from engaging in procurement practices “that discriminate against the State of Israel, Israeli citizens, or those associated with Israel”, and outlined similar guidance for city pension officials to prohibit divesting from Israel-related holdings.
An earlier action, adopted in June, codified a broad definition of anti-Semitism, which some opponents said conflated criticism of Israel’s government with prejudice against Jews. Another action provided additional police protection for synagogues.
Mr Mamdani defended the revocations on Friday, saying during a news conference that some Jewish organisations in the city also shared his concerns with the definition of the term, highlighting it was common practice for new mayors to review and amend or revoke a predecessor's executive orders.
Israel's Foreign Ministry criticised the move, saying Mr Mamdani has shown “his true face”.
“This isn’t leadership,” the ministry wrote in a post on social media. “It’s anti-Semitic gasoline on an open fire.”
Several Jewish organisations also issued a joint statement saying the revocation of the order reversed “significant protections against anti-Semitism”.
New York's new mayor, who was elected in November, is the city's first Muslim leader. He has been a vocal critic of the war in Gaza, and has supported the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement. But throughout his campaign, he worked to build relationships with the city's large Jewish community.
