Sat Jan 03 14:40:00 UTC 2026: Okay, here’s a summary and a news article based on the provided text:
Summary:
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani revoked two executive orders from his predecessor that prohibited city agencies from boycotting Israel and defined some criticism of Israel as antisemitic. The Israeli government responded with strong condemnation, accusing Mamdani of antisemitism and suggesting his actions would endanger Jewish communities in New York. Mamdani defended his decision as creating a “clean slate” for his administration and reaffirmed his commitment to protecting Jewish New Yorkers and fighting antisemitism through concrete actions.
News Article:
Israel Accuses New York City Mayor of Antisemitism Over Policy Reversal
NEW YORK – New York City’s new Mayor, Zohran Mamdani, is facing fierce criticism from the Israeli government after rescinding two executive orders related to Israel. The orders, implemented by the previous administration, had barred city agencies from participating in boycotts against Israel and defined certain critiques of Israel as antisemitic.
The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs took to social media platform X to accuse Mayor Mamdani of antisemitism. “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,” the Ministry wrote. “This isn’t leadership. It’s antisemitic gasoline on an open fire.”
Israel’s consul general in New York, Ofir Akunis, further escalated the rhetoric, claiming Mamdani’s decision posed “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.” New York City has the largest Jewish population outside of Israel.
Mayor Mamdani addressed the controversy at a press conference Friday, without directly responding to the accusations from Israel. He maintained that “protecting Jewish New Yorkers is going to be a focus of my administration” and that his action on the executive orders provided “a clean slate to get to work on delivering a new era for New Yorkers.”
“My administration will also be marked by a city government that will be relentless in its efforts to combat hate and division,” Mamdani stated. “And that includes fighting the scourge of antisemitism, by actually funding hate crime prevention, by celebrating our neighbors and by practicing a politics of universality.”
The swift and strong reaction from Israel underscores the sensitivity surrounding the issue and the potential for the controversy to impact relations between New York City and the Israeli government. The long term impact of Mayor Mamdani’s policy change and the response it has provoked remains to be seen.
First Piper 