Mayor Adams signed a enterprise engagement settlement with Israel’s authorities on Monday, searching for to attract a pointy distinction with native progressive Democrats calling for divesting from the nation over its navy marketing campaign in Gaza.
Adams, who has centered his reelection bid on a must fight antisemitism within the metropolis, signed the settlement with Israeli Financial Minister Nir Barkat whereas showing collectively on the Jerusalem Put up convention in Manhattan.
The settlement establishes a council, staffed by Metropolis Corridor and Israeli authorities reps, tasked with discovering methods to “enhance economic cooperation.” Particularly, the panel will “support Israeli companies” searching for to arrange store in New York, with a give attention to corporations within the synthetic intelligence, life sciences and environmental innovation sectors, per the settlement.
Mayor Eric Adams, heart, on the Jerusalem Convention hosted in New York Metropolis on Sunday, Could 18, 2025. (Benny Polatseck / Mayoral Images Workplace)
The conflict in Gaza has prompted rising calls throughout the globe for sanctions in opposition to Israel. In New York, progressive politicians, together with mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, have voiced assist for pulling U.S. funding and investments from Israel.
In remarks earlier than signing the settlement, Adams pushed again in opposition to these calls and aligned himself with Israel, whereas referring to Barkat, a member of Netanyahu’s ruling right-wing occasion, as his “good friend” and “brother.”
“Several politicians in this city and some running for mayor have called for the disinvestment in Israel. Well, they got another thing coming,” he mentioned, including that town will proceed to foster enterprise ties with Israel “as long as I am mayor.”
Adams has made assist for Israel a key focus of his bid for a second time period, an effort that stands to curry favor with town’s politically influential Jewish Orthodox group.
Amid fallout from the Trump administration’s controversial dismissal of his corruption indictment, Adams dropped out of the Democratic mayoral major final month and introduced he’s as a substitute searching for reelection as an unbiased in November’s normal election, working on an “EndAntiSemitism” poll line.
Monday’s announcement comes after Adams launched a brand new Workplace to Fight Antisemitism final week that he says will, partially, give attention to pulling any metropolis funding from nonprofits his administration deems antisemitic.
