Israel Condemns New NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani as ‘Antisemitic’
Israel’s government on Friday accused newly sworn-in New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani of antisemitism after he revoked all of former Mayor Eric Adams’ executive orders issued since Adams’ 2024 indictment — including two measures explicitly supportive of Israel.
Among the rescinded orders were Adams’ adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism and a city policy barring officials from participating in boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) efforts targeting Israel.
“On his very first day as mayor, Mamdani shows his true face: He scraps the IHRA definition of antisemitism and lifts restrictions on boycotting Israel,” Israel’s Foreign Ministry wrote on X. “This isn’t leadership. It’s antisemitic gasoline on an open fire.”
The ministry’s rebuke followed widespread criticism from Jewish groups and New York Republicans who argued Mamdani’s actions would weaken protections for the city’s Jewish residents.
The IHRA definition, used by the U.S. State Department since 2010, characterizes antisemitism as “a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews,” including the “demonization or application of double standards to Israel.” According to the Anti-Defamation League, more than 1,000 institutions worldwide have adopted the standard, describing it as the international consensus.
Mamdani, a self-described democratic socialist and the first Muslim to serve as New York City mayor, defended his decision as part of a broader effort to give his administration “a clean slate” following the Adams scandal.
“What we did was sign an executive order that continued every executive order that predated the moment when our former mayor was indicted,” Mamdani said Friday. “That was a moment when many New Yorkers lost faith in city government’s ability to prioritize the needs of the public, as opposed to the needs of the person.”
Pressed by reporters about the backlash from Israel and Jewish advocacy groups, Mamdani insisted he would continue to combat antisemitism, but argued that the IHRA framework had drawn criticism even within the Jewish community.
“I know that a number of leading Jewish organizations have immense concerns around this definition,” Mamdani said. “We will deliver on our commitment to protect Jewish New Yorkers in a manner that is able to actually fulfill that.”
He added that his administration “will be relentless in its efforts to combat hate and division,” pledging to “fight the scourge of antisemitism by funding hate-crime prevention, celebrating our neighbors, and practicing a politics of universality.”
Supporters of Mamdani, including Jewish Voice for Peace, defended the rollback, saying the IHRA’s language has been used to silence critics of Israeli government policy. But mainstream Jewish groups, led by the ADL and the American Jewish Committee, called the move “deeply irresponsible,” warning it would embolden antisemitic behavior at a time of heightened tension in the city.
Republican leaders also blasted the new mayor. “This is what happens when radical activists take over City Hall,” said Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.). “He’s siding with anti-Israel extremists over the safety of Jewish New Yorkers.”
Mamdani, 33, was sworn in shortly after midnight Thursday and moved swiftly to undo Adams’ post-indictment directives. His first executive order declared: “All Executive Orders issued on or after September 26, 2024, and in effect on December 31, 2025, are hereby revoked.”
The former mayor had been indicted for allegedly accepting illegal donations from Turkish sources to facilitate construction of a new Turkish consulate. The Justice Department ultimately dropped the case earlier this year, but the episode damaged Adams’ political standing and set the stage for Mamdani’s populist victory.
Mamdani also signed three housing-related orders on Thursday, establishing task forces to accelerate affordable development and address the city’s worsening housing crisis. But his rescission of the Israel-related directives quickly overshadowed his domestic agenda and triggered international diplomatic blowback before his first full day in office had ended.
By Friday evening, Mamdani’s office was facing calls from both state lawmakers and foreign officials to reinstate the IHRA definition. The new mayor remained defiant, saying his actions reflected “a city government grounded in inclusion, not intimidation.”
DoJ Demands Records On Minnesota Same-Day Voter Vouching System-llllllllllllllll
Heightened scrutiny over Minnesota’s sprawling social services fraud case has prompted renewed attention to the state’s election procedures. A report circulated by Scott Presler, founder of Early Vote Action, has raised questions about Minnesota’s same-day voter registration and vouching system.
Under current state law, a registered voter may vouch for the residency of up to eight individuals seeking same-day registration, provided they live in the same voting precinct, Red State reported. Individuals who are vouched for are not permitted to vouch for others.
In addition, an employee of a residential facility may vouch for an unlimited number of residents of that facility.
Both voters and employees who vouch for others are required to swear under oath that the individual being vouched for is a resident of the precinct.
Critics say the process raises concerns about verification and oversight, particularly given the volume of same-day registrations.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon has formally requested records from Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon related to the state’s same-day registration and vouching practices.
“This system seems facially inconsistent with the Help America Vote Act of 2002. We’ll see!” Dhillon wrote in a letter to the state.
Dhillon requested records from all federal elections over the past 22 months, including documentation supporting same-day registrations and materials related to the vouching process under Minnesota Statute 201.061, Subdivision 3.
The request covers elections, including the 2024 primary and general election.
Dhillon gave the state 15 days to provide the records to determine compliance with the Help America Vote Act.
Presler praised the move, calling it a significant step toward investigating election integrity concerns.
Federal agencies, including the FBI, the Treasury Department, and the Department of Homeland Security, are already conducting investigations in Minnesota on separate matters.
State officials have defended the election system, arguing that multiple safeguards are in place to prevent abuse.
Not all critics are persuaded by those assurances.
Bill Glahn of the Center for the American Experiment, a Twin Cities-based conservative public policy organization, questioned the effectiveness of those safeguards.
“It’s like murder’s illegal, but it happens all the time,” Glahn said.
“It’s a penalty of perjury,” he added. “You signed an oath, but if you signed as Mickey Mouse, they’re not going to find you.”
Nearly 500 employees in Minnesota’s state government say Gov. Tim Walz ignored repeated internal warnings about large-scale fraud involving state aid programs within the Somali community, and that he retaliated against staff who raised concerns.
The employees, who work within the state Department of Human Services, have for several years operated an anonymous X account outlining what they describe as ongoing cases of fraud and misuse of public funds. The group has previously directed warnings to state leaders and to Minnesota residents about patterns of financial abuse they say they identified in program oversight.
In a new post, the employees alleged that Walz not only failed to act on their alerts but also took punitive measures against staff members who attempted to report the issues through official channels. The governor’s office has not yet responded to the renewed claims.
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“Tim Walz is 100% responsible for massive fraud in Minnesota,” the group said in a November 29 post referencing a New York Times article on the crimes. “We let Tim Walz know of fraud early on, hoping for a partnership in stopping fraud, but no, we got the opposite response.
“Tim Walz systematically retaliated against whistleblowers using monitoring, threats, repression, and did his best to discredit fraud reports,” they added. “Instead of partnership, we got the full weight of retaliation by Tim Walz, certain DFL members, and an indifferent mainstream media. It’s scary, isolating, and left us wondering who we can turn to.”
