Mamdani Revokes Prior Executive Orders Immediately
Palestinian rights activists praised Mayor Zohran Mamdani for getting rid of pro-Israel laws soon after he took office. The move went against orders given by Eric Adams, the former mayor. Supporters called the action a strong commitment to civil rights.
Mamdani canceled all executive orders that were made after September 26, 2024. On that date, Adams was charged with bribery. Critics thought the orders were politically motivated.
Source: NYC.gov
Boycott Limits and IHRA Definition Changed
One order that was canceled stopped city workers and contractors from boycotting Israel. The order said that any actions that were seen as unfair to Israel or its citizens were not allowed. People who didn’t like it said it violated people’s right to free speech.
Another order used the IHRA’s definition of anti-Semitism. Palestinian supporters say that the definition stops people from speaking out against Israeli policies. They say it makes disagreement the same as discrimination.
Palestinian Advocates Praise Free Speech Protections
Nasreen Issa from the Palestine Youth Movement was happy with Mamdani’s choice. She said that the revocations protect the rights of New Yorkers as set out in the Constitution. Issa said that dissent had been unfairly made a crime.
People who support Israel say that people who disagree with its policies should not be punished. They stress that criticism is aimed at the actions of the state, not religion. People said that Mamdani’s move was meant to bring back democratic norms.
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CAIR and Activists Applaud Policy Reversals
The New York chapter of CAIR praised the repeal of what they called unconstitutional measures. Afaf Nasher said that the orders made it harder to legally criticize what Israel did. She said that the policies went against free speech rights.
Nasher also didn’t like how broad the IHRA definition was. She said it unfairly calls people who are against Zionism anti-Semitic. Activists have been against its official adoption for a long time.
Israeli Officials Condemn Mamdani’s Actions
In a public statement, Israel’s foreign ministry said that Mamdani’s choice was wrong. Officials said the mayor was making antisemitism worse. The ministry said the move was a sign of bad leadership.
In his response, Amichai Chikli, the minister of diaspora affairs, used language that was hateful of Islam. He wrongly connected Mamdani to the Muslim Brotherhood. There is no proof that those claims are true.
US Officials Warn Of Civil Rights Oversight
The Trump administration also didn’t like what Mamdani did. Harmeet Dhillon, an official with the Justice Department, gave a public warning. She said that the federal government would keep an eye on violations of religious freedom.
According to Dhillon, her office would look into claims of civil rights violations. Palestinian activists said the warning was meant to scare them. They said that it is against the law to criticize Israel.
Mamdani Reaffirms His Support for Jewish New Yorkers
Mamdani has promised to keep the Jewish people of New York City safe. He said that his government would keep fighting antisemitism. He said that Jewish communities are still important and safe.
The mayor, who is 34 years old, took an oath on a Quran. He was the first Muslim to be mayor of New York City. Housing, affordability, and civil rights were important issues in his campaign.
