New York City's outgoing mayor, Eric Adams, met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday at the Kirya in Tel Aviv as part of his visit to Israel.
“Prime Minister Netanyahu thanked Mayor Adams for his great support of Israel and for being a true friend of the Jewish people,” the Prime Minister's Office stated.
Adams' visit to Israel also included his participation in a Sunday Combating Antisemitism Movement (CAM) event, where he said, “If I were a Jewish New Yorker, I would be concerned about my children. People want to sugarcoat the moment. We cannot do that.”
Adams meeting with former hostages
The outgoing mayor also met with former hostages at the Kfar Maccabiah Hotel in Ramat Gan on Sunday, where he expressed his continued commitment to fighting rising antisemitism and to the people of Israel.
The meeting was made possible by the support of Maccabi World Union, which accommodated the former hostages, including Yarden Bibas, Bar Kuperstein, and Sagi Dekel Chen.
“This is especially challenging when you think about the conclusion of the conflict in Gaza and return of the family members who were held hostage, but you know we cannot be naive to believe that the battle is over,” Adams said during a speech he delivered at the center.
“It is very painful to witness the rise in antisemitism, but you have demonstrated incredible resourcefulness. As a child, I was told that if you live long enough, you will experience pain and must find ways to turn pain into purpose. So must you - the hostages and your families - who have endured unimaginable horrors; you must find a reason to keep moving forward,” he added.
Mamdani again condemns antisemitism as Eric Adams, in Israel, warns of danger to Jews in NYC
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 “F*** 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.