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Adams Signs Orders Blocking NYC Boycotts of Israel, Tightens Synagogue Protections Ahead of Transition

Mayor Eric Adams signed two executive orders to bar city contracts or pension decisions that discriminate against Israel and to direct the NYPD to strengthen protections for synagogues and houses of worship. Announced at a mayors summit, the steps could conflict with mayor‑elect Zohran Mamdani, who has expressed support for the BDS movement and may rescind the directives after taking office on Jan. 1. Officials pointed to the city’s large procurement and pension portfolios and recent protests near a synagogue as reasons for the new measures.

10:20 AM, 12/04/2025Politics
Adams Signs Orders Blocking NYC Boycotts of Israel, Tightens Synagogue Protections Ahead of Transition

Outgoing New York City Mayor Eric Adams signed two executive orders on Wednesday intended to counter antisemitism and prevent city funds from being used to support the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement targeting Israel. He announced the actions while participating in the North American Mayors Summit Against Antisemitism in New Orleans.

The first order prohibits the city from making procurement, contracting or pension investment decisions that discriminate against Israel. City officials framed the measure as a safeguard for taxpayer dollars and municipal investments, and as a way to prevent government participation in politically motivated boycotts.

The second order directs the New York City Police Department to increase enforcement and protective measures for synagogues and other houses of worship to guard against harassment, threats and violent rhetoric.

The directives set up a potential policy clash with mayor‑elect Zohran Mamdani, who takes office on Jan. 1 and has publicly expressed support for BDS as a nonviolent mechanism to press Israel to comply with international law. Mamdani could rescind or modify the orders after the transition; his team did not immediately comment.

When asked in a November interview whether BDS would inform his administration’s policies, Mamdani said:

"I support BDS because this is a movement that is looking for that kind of compliance. We haven’t seen it."
He also emphasized that he intends to serve all New Yorkers, including Jewish residents.

Officials cited the scale of city finances when justifying the actions: for fiscal 2024 New York City reported more than $32 billion in procurement contracts with outside vendors, administers five pension systems covering more than 750,000 employees, retirees and beneficiaries, and holds nearly $300 billion in global securities, including more than $300 million invested in Israeli assets.

The orders follow recent protests outside a New York synagogue where demonstrators chanted slogans such as "globalize the intifada" and "death to the IDF," raising concerns among community leaders and prompting advocacy groups to monitor the political transition closely.

Adams described the measures as necessary to protect religious freedom and public safety, writing on social media after the summit that city leaders must confront "the rising tide of hate, fear and misinformation" and that they "cannot stand by as antisemitism or any other form of hate spreads." As the city prepares for the January transition, the executive orders highlight an emerging ideological divide over how municipal policy should respond to international disputes and local protest movements.

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