Eric Adams gave his constituents in New York City a soon-to-be antiquated view on Monday: that of a New York City mayor shaking hands with Israel’s prime minister.
Adams met with Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv on Monday, on the third day of a trip to Israel that comes just weeks before Adams cedes the keys to City Hall to Zohran Mamdani, who has pledged to arrest Netanyahu if the prime minister comes to New York.
Adams’ trip, which is being paid for with city funds, appears meant to broadcast the contrast between him and his successor. Adams has long been staunchly supportive of Israel, even as support for Israel among New Yorkers plummeted during his tenure amid the war in Gaza, and has received a warm welcome during his second visit as mayor. He previously met with Netanyahu in New York shortly after Mamdani made his arrest pledge.
Both Adams and Netanyahu posted pictures of their latest meeting online and said in brief statements that their conversation had been positive.
“Just met with Prime Minister @netanyahu, where we discussed the fight against antisemitism and the unbreakable bond between New York City and Israel. We stand strong, proud, and united against antisemitism and all other forms of hate,” Adams tweeted.
“Prime Minister Netanyahu thanked @NYCMayor Adams for his great support of Israel and for being a true friend of the Jewish people,” Netanyahu’s office said in its post.
An aide to Adams told the New York Times that the men had not discussed Mamdani’s pledge to arrest Netanyahu. Mamdani, who is a longtime critic of Israel, says his pledge is rooted in his commitment to international law. The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for the Israeli prime minister over his rhetoric and conduct during the Gaza war. Still, the United States is not a party to the pact that created the court and is not obligated to heed its warrants.
Former Major Adams believes Mamdani's threat won't amount to anything
In Tel Aviv, Adams said he believed Mamdani’s threat would come to naught. “There is no police officer in the city of New York that is going to carry out that directive from the mayor, and he knows that,” he told the Forward’s Jacob Kornbluh.
Mamdani, for his part, said in New York City that he was confused about why Adams would abandon the city in the final days of his tenure. He did not comment specifically on Adams’ itinerary, which includes a stop in Uzbekistan on his way home.
After his meeting with Netanyahu, Adams visited Kfar Aza, one of the communities that was ravaged in Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel. His trip also included meetings with city officials in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, a visit to the Knesset, and multiple events focused on economic collaboration between New York and Israel. Mamdani, who supports the movement to boycott Israel, has indicated a preference in the past for ending such collaboratives, though he has not made clear whether he has any plans to act on that preference as mayor.
Adams said multiple times during his trip that he believed New York Jews should be concerned for their safety under Mamdani. (Mamdani has pledged to fight antisemitism and keep city Jews safe.) His message to Israelis, Adams said during a stop at the Western Wall, was simple: “I served you as the mayor.”