Israel Accuses New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani of Antisemitism After Scrapping IHRA Definition.
Israel has launched a blistering rebuke of New York City’s new mayor, Zohran Mamdani, accusing him of fueling antisemitism on his very first day in office after he scrapped the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism and lifted restrictions on boycotts of Israel.
“This isn’t leadership. It’s antisemitic gasoline on an open fire,” Israel’s foreign ministry said in a sharply worded post, warning that Mamdani’s actions undermine global efforts to confront rising antisemitism.
The decision reverses an executive order issued by former mayor Eric Adams, which adopted the IHRA definition and treated the demonization of Israel and double standards against the Jewish state as forms of contemporary antisemitism. Mamdani revoked the order as part of a broader move to cancel all Adams-era directives issued after Adams’ federal corruption indictment.
Mamdani defended his decision by pledging to protect Jewish New Yorkers through expanded hate-crime prevention funding and what he called a “politics of universality.” He insisted his administration would remain aggressive in combating antisemitism while also defending free speech, including support for the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel.
The move has split New York’s political and religious landscape. Pro-Israel groups and major Jewish organizations warned the rollback weakens the city’s ability to confront antisemitism at a time of rising attacks. Civil rights groups, including CAIR-NY, praised the decision, calling the IHRA definition overly broad and a tool to silence criticism of Israel.
Israel’s reaction underscores how closely Mamdani’s mayoralty will be watched far beyond New York. Within hours of taking office, the city’s new leadership has already ignited an international controversy — one that signals sharper ideological battles ahead over Israel, antisemitism, and the limits of political speech in America’s largest city.
