Adams signs orders to shield Israel Investments, regulate protests near NYC houses of worship

Less than a month after visiting Israel, outgoing Mayor Eric Adams signed two executive orders on Wednesday in support of the Middle Eastern country and Jewish New Yorkers.

The executive orders come less than a month before Zohran Mamdani takes the mayor’s office on Jan. 1. Mamdani, a Democratic socialist, has been critical of Israel and has, in the past, supported the Boycott Divest and Sanction (BDS) movement against the Jewish state. Those positions and his pro-Palestinian rhetoric led to a number of New Yorkers accusing him of being antisemitic.

One order Adams issued on Dec. 3, No. 60, prohibits city officials and appointees who handle contracts from discriminating against Israel, Israelis or those connected to Israel in their purchasing decisions.

According to the mayor’s office, the order also prohibits the chief pension administrator and mayoral trustees of the city pension system from opposing divestment from bonds and other assets that would discriminate against Israel or its citizens, or those associated with the country.

“New York City not only has a strong bond with the State of Israel because of our commitment to protecting a Jewish homeland, but also because it has always been a sound financial investment, and our financial decisions should continue to reflect that truth,” Adams said in a press release. “Today, we are proud to sign this executive order and affirm that our investments and contracts should be made on the basis of what is best for New York City and our economic future, and not in pursuit of discriminatory policies on the basis of politics and national origin.”

The other executive order, signed on Dec. 3, No. 61, directs the NYPD commissioner to evaluate potential changes to the police officer patrol guide, examining proposals for regulating protests near houses of worship.

Monica Klein, a Mamdani transition spokesperson, said the Mayor-elect will be “closely assessing all city policies including these most recent executive orders to make sure they align with our values as a city.”

The outgoing mayor is not the only local politician who has advocated for reforms regarding protests near houses of worship. Several state lawmakers on Wednesday, led by NYS Assembly Member Micah Lasher and state Sen. Sam Sutton, announced a bill that would establish a clear 25-foot buffer zone around healthcare facilities and houses of worship, including churches, synagogues, mosques and temples.

The bill still needs to progress through the state legislative process before it is approved.