\u201cThat was a date that marked a moment when many New Yorkers decided politics held nothing for them,\u201d said Mamdani during a Brooklyn press conference on Thursday<\/a>, alluding to accusations that Adams\u2019 administration was tainted by his efforts to cozy up to President Donald Trump to avoid prosecution.<\/p>\n \u201cThis isn\u2019t leadership. It\u2019s antisemitic gasoline on an open fire.\u201d<\/p>\n Mamdani\u2019s new executive order revokes the Adams administration\u2019s adoptions of the controversial International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, or IHRA definition of antisemitism<\/a>, which defines criticism of Israel as antisemitic. It also ends an Adams-era ban on city agencies boycotting or divesting from Israel. Mamdani kept the mayor\u2019s Office to Combat Antisemitism in place.<\/p>\n The Israeli government lashed out at Mamdani over his order, painting it as both antisemitic and anti-Israel<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cOn his very first day as @NYCMayor<\/a>, Mamdani shows his true face: He scraps the IHRA definition of antisemitism and lifts restrictions on boycotting Israel,\u201d posted the Israel Foreign Ministry on X. <\/a>\u201cThis isn\u2019t leadership. It\u2019s antisemitic gasoline on an open fire.\u201d<\/p>\n On his very first day as @NYCMayor<\/a>, Mamdani shows his true face: He scraps the IHRA definition of antisemitism and lifts restrictions on boycotting Israel. \u2014 Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) January 2, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Other pro-Israel Mamdani critics posted similar denouncements. <\/p>\n \u201cMamdani @NYCMayor<\/a> just UNDID previous executive order which adopted the IHRA definition of antisemitism,\u201d wrote Inna Vernikov, a Republican councilwoman from Brooklyn on X on Thursday night<\/a>. \u201cIHRA protects from discrimination Jews who believe in self determination and provides clarity on the definition.\u201d<\/p>\n Accusations of antisemitism are nothing new for Mamdani, who made history on Thursday by becoming the first Muslim mayor of New York. Coverage of his campaign<\/a>, and now his administration,<\/a> has repeatedly fixated on his relationship with Israel, despite his insistence on focusing on local issues like grocery prices, housing, and transportation. <\/p>\n Despite those criticisms, many New York civil liberties groups argue Mamdani\u2019s orders are an important step in restoring freedom of speech.<\/p>\n \u201cMayor Mamdani was right to revoke Mayor Adams\u2019s executive orders that adopted a flawed and far too broad definition of antisemitism, and that prohibited city agencies from boycotting Israel,\u201d wrote New York Civil Liberties Union Executive Director Donna Lieberman, in a statement to The Intercept. \u201cBoth orders seem to have been designed to suppress speech Mayor Adams disagrees with, but that is protected by the First Amendment.\u201d <\/p>\n The IHRA definition of antisemitism has been widely criticized<\/a> for stifling political speech over Israel and manufacturing consent for its treatment of Palestinians by classifying criticism of Israel\u2019s actions and of Zionism as inherently antisemitic.<\/p>\n We\u2019re independent of corporate interests \u2014 and powered by members. Join us. <\/p>\n Join Our Newsletter <\/p>\n Thank You For Joining! <\/p>\n \n Original reporting. Fearless journalism. Delivered to you. <\/p>\n Will you take the next step to support our independent journalism by becoming a member of The Intercept?\n <\/p>\n By signing up, I agree to receive emails from The Intercept and to the Privacy Policy<\/a> and Terms of Use<\/a>.<\/p>\n CAIR-NY, the New York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a Muslim civil rights organization, lauded the decision to revoke the IHRA definition and the ban on boycotting Israel.<\/p>\n \u201cThis unconstitutional, Israel First attack on free speech should have never been issued in the first place,\u201d CAIR-NY executive director Afaf Nasher wrote in a statement<\/a>. \u201cWe applaud Mayor Mamdani for immediately overturning it.\u201d<\/p>\n Aside from the orders themselves, Nina Smith, a Democratic political strategist, said that Mamdani was showing New York voters that he is sticking to his campaign promises.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n \u201cMr. Mamdani campaigned on having a direct and authentic relationship with the people he serves in New York, with New Yorkers,\u201d said Smith. \u201cThe Adams administration was marked by controversy and corruption, as was outlined in the indictments. And so, it\u2019s not like he\u2019s doing this out of spite. He\u2019s doing this because he wants to have a clean and authentic relationship with New Yorkers going forward.\u201d<\/p>\n The former mayor was indicted<\/a> for allegedly taking bribes and soliciting illegal campaign contributions from \u201cwealthy foreign businesspeople\u201d and Turkish officials. The Trump Justice Department later dropped the charges. Adams has denied all wrongdoing.<\/p>\n Multiple prosecutors resigned in protest over the decision to squash the corruption allegations, with one alleging that Adams had been<\/a> \u201crewarded\u201d for \u201can improper offer of immigration enforcement assistance in exchange for a dismissal of his case.\u201d<\/p>\n
This isn\u2019t leadership. It\u2019s antisemitic gasoline on an open fire.<\/p>\n
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