NYC Mayor Mamdani Revokes Adams' Antisemitism, BDS Orders

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani revoked several executive orders issued by his predecessor, Eric Adams, on his first day in office Thursday, including measures that adopted a widely debated definition of antisemitism and restricted city involvement in the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against Israel.

Mamdani, sworn in early Thursday as the city's 112th mayor during a private midnight ceremony at City Hall, signed the broad revocation shortly after taking the oath. The action targeted all of Adams' executive orders issued after September 26, 2024, the date Adams faced federal indictment on charges of bribery, wire fraud and campaign finance violations. Although those charges were later dropped, Mamdani's office described the move as a step to provide the new administration with a fresh start and restore public trust in the mayor's office.

Among the rescinded orders were one from June that directed city agencies to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's working definition of antisemitism, which includes certain criticisms of Israel, such as denying the Jewish people's right to self-determination or characterizing Israel's existence as a racist...