New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani used his first day in office to cancel several pro-Israel executive orders issued by his predecessor, Eric Adams. These cancellations include all directives Adams implemented after his federal corruption indictment.
One of the rescinded orders barred city agencies from participating in boycotts or divestments targeting Israel. Another order, issued in June, adopted a broad definition of antisemitism based on the I.H.R.A. framework. This definition classified certain anti-Israel speech, including opposition to Israel’s identity as a Jewish state, as antisemitic.
The decision by Zohran Mamdani quickly drew criticism from conservative Jewish leaders who opposed his mayoral campaign. Brooklyn Republican Councilwoman Inna Vernikov accused him of removing protections “for Jews who believe in self-determination” and warned that the rollback could embolden pro-Hamas antisemites.
Civil liberties groups, however, welcomed the change. Donna Lieberman, executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, said Adams’s orders appeared to suppress viewpoints that he and his supporters disagreed with. She argued that they had a chilling effect on constitutionally protected political speech.
“The right to free speech does not depend on your viewpoint,” Lieberman said, emphasizing that free speech applies to discussions about Israel and Gaza as much as any other contentious issue.
Zohran Mamdani’s stance on Israel has long divided the city’s Jewish community. Despite the controversy, he was elected in a city with the largest Jewish population outside Israel. Mamdani has voiced support for the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (B.D.S.) movement and described Israel as an apartheid state that must provide equal rights to all faiths, rather than privileging Jews under its laws.
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Some Jewish voters say his criticisms align with their values, while others remain uneasy about his approach. The reversal of Adams’s executive orders signals Zohran Mamdani’s commitment to protecting free speech and ensuring open debate on divisive issues.
