Ofir Akunis, Israeli consul general in New York, lashed out at NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani after he unveiled his broad, wide-ranging $29 million plan to combat antisemitism in the most Jewish city in the Diaspora.

“Money can’t buy values. Until you recognize that your language against the Jewish state, which you don’t recognize as the homeland of the Jewish people, is the fundamental reason for the rise of antisemitism in New York City, it will continue to increase,” Akunis declared.

“Truly combating antisemitism requires readopting the IHRA working definition of antisemitism, which you overturned as the first decision of your administration on day one,” the diplomat said. “To truly fight antisemitism would be to call for your supporters to stop shouting ‘from the river to the sea’ and ‘globalize the intifada,’ have them condemn the Oct. 7 massacre, and instead of supporting Hamas, declare that they are a terror organization.”

Mamdani unveiled his plan, billed as the largest municipal plan to combat antisemitism in the country, Tuesday, saying in a video statement, “The responsibility falls on us to care for and protect our Jewish neighbors, a responsibility that belongs to each and every one of us.” In his statement, he acknowledged the hate crime statistics regarding Jewish New Yorkers and said that “Jewish New Yorkers should feel cherished and celebrated in the most Jewish city in America.”

The $29 million secured for the plan, up from $3 million previously, will fund security for houses of worship, Holocaust education, and assistance to victims of hate crimes. Notably, the plan makes no mention of Israel or Gaza; nor does it show a correlation between anti-Israel activity such as protests and the sharp increase in anti-Jewish attacks. While Jews make up 12 percent of the city’s population, they are the target of more than half of the city’s hate crimes. Antisemitic incidents increased in the first eight months of this year by 9 percent over the same period last year.

The report also failed to adopt an official definition of antisemitism.

Jewish leaders criticized the omission of anti-Israel activity in the 35-page report. In an interaction with Phylisa Wisdom, head of the city’s Office to Combat Antisemitism, Republican Assemblyman Michael Novakhov said that “the primary source of antisemitism in the city right now is Mayor Mamdani.”

Amy Spitalnick, head of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, who welcomed the plan, nevertheless criticized it for not linking protests against Israel to rising antisemitism.