On his first day in office on Thursday, 1 January 2026, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani revoked several executive orders issued by his predecessor, Eric Adams, including the adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) definition of antisemitism, and the city’s opposition to the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, a Palestinian-led, nonviolent campaign to pressure Israel to comply with international law.
Born to an Indian mother and an Indian-Ugandan father, Mamdani, who was sworn in with his hand on a Quran held by his wife, described the move as “a new era” for his administration. He vowed to include Palestinian New Yorkers in his inaugural address on Thursday.
Mamdani specifically addressed Palestinian New Yorkers in his speech, stating, “There will be Palestinian New Yorkers in Bay Ridge who will no longer have to contend with a politics that speaks of universalism but makes them the exception.”
The revocation of the IHRA definition and the city’s stance on the BDS movement situates Madmani’s decision within a wider and deeply contested debate over how antisemitism is defined, interpreted, and applied in public discourse.
The IHRA working definition of antisemitism, adopted in 2016, describes it as “a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews.”
One major point of controversy is that any criticism of Israel is considered antisemitism. Critics argue that this blurs the line between legitimate political discourse on Israeli policies, such as human rights concerns or opposition to Zionism, and actual hatred toward Jews, potentially hindering non-violent activism, academic discussions, and protests supporting Palestinian rights.
For instance, organizations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have faced accusations of antisemitism under the IHRA framework for reports labeling Israel’s treatment of Palestinians as apartheid, which some see as an overreach that suppresses dissent.
Another issue is the definition’s transformation into a de facto hate-speech code, particularly on university campuses and in legislation, leading to investigations or censorship of events, courses, or speakers critical of Israel.
Mamdani’s election as mayor of New York City marks a historic milestone amid escalating Islamophobia in the United States, where anti-Muslim incidents reached record highs in 2024 and 2025, driven largely by Israel’s war on Gaza.
As the first Muslim, first South Asian, and first Africa-born mayor of America’s largest city, at just 34 years old, the youngest since 1892, Mamdani’s win symbolizes representation for Muslim communities facing heightened stereotypes and harassment.
In his inaugural address, Mamdani highlighted his Muslim upbringing while emphasizing the city’s diversity.
“Where else could a Muslim kid like me grow up eating bagels and lox every Sunday?” he said, nodding to the blend of cultural influences in New York.
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