NYC Mayor Adams Signs Business Deal with Israel Amid Election Strategy

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has signed a business engagement agreement with Israel's government, establishing a council to enhance economic cooperation between the city and Israeli companies. The agreement, signed with Israeli Economic Minister Nir Barkat, focuses on supporting Israeli firms in artificial intelligence, life sciences, and environmental innovation sectors that seek to establish operations in New York. This move comes as Adams has positioned his reelection campaign partly around combating antisemitism in the city.

The agreement arrives amid growing international calls for sanctions against Israel over its military campaign in Gaza. Several New York politicians, including mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, have advocated for withdrawing U.S. funding and investments from Israel. Adams explicitly pushed back against these divestment calls during the signing ceremony, stating that such efforts have "another thing coming" and pledging continued business ties with Israel during his tenure as mayor.

Adams' political strategy has shifted significantly in recent months. He withdrew from the Democratic mayoral primary in April 2025 following controversies related to the Trump administration's dismissal of his corruption indictment. He is now running as an independent in the November general election on an "EndAntiSemitism" ballot line, a move that political observers note could appeal to the city's politically influential Jewish Orthodox community.

The mayor has taken additional steps aligned with this campaign focus, including the recent launch of an Office to Combat Antisemitism. This new office will reportedly have authority to withdraw city funding from nonprofits that the Adams administration determines to be antisemitic. These actions reflect Adams' continued emphasis on positioning himself as strongly supportive of Israel and opposed to antisemitism as part of his reelection strategy.