New York City Mayor Eric Adams, staring down the end of his term, landed in Israel Saturday for a visit to a country he has steadfastly supported — and is maligned by his successor, Zohran Mamdani.
Adams’ itinerary includes a public event in Tel Aviv on Sunday, a meeting with released hostages on Monday and a visit to the Western Wall — an Israeli version of a victory lap for an unpopular mayor who trailed by so much in his reelection campaign that he dropped out of the race with weeks to go.
Since arriving, Adams has repeated his longtime intention to retire in Israel. He has also extending the warnings he issued during his campaign about the future of the city under Mamdani, tapping into deep anxiety among some Jews about whether the city will remain safe for them with a vocal critic of Israel at the helm.
“If I were a Jewish New Yorker, I’d be concerned about my children,” Adams said at the Tel Aviv event on Sunday. “There is something to be worried about.”
The visit comes as Mamdani seeks to demonstrate that his opposition to Israel as a Jewish state will not translate into dangers for Jewish New Yorkers. After graffiti reading “Fuck Jews” was spray-painted on a sidewalk in Brooklyn on Friday, Mamdani issued swift condemnation — as he did after a swastika was painted on a yeshiva on Election Night.
“Another horrific act of antisemitism on our streets. We cannot stand for this,” Mamdani tweeted. “Thank you to @LincolnRestler and @nycsanitation for your quick response.”
The post elicited a mix of appreciation and suspicion from Jewish New Yorkers. Mamdani’s condemnation of the Election Night graffiti also drew criticism from pro-Palestinian voices who said Mamdani was kowtowing to pressure from Jews to change his rhetoric.
Mamdani, a longtime supporter of the movement to boycott Israel, has said he would not visit as mayor, which would break a longstanding city tradition. He also has pledged to arrest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if Netanyahu visits New York. Adams is reportedly planning to meet with Netanyahu during his visit.
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