How Israel Bonds Became a Local Campaign Litmus Test
The seemingly endless squabbling between Mayor Eric Adams and Comptroller Brad Lander has now reached the esoteric issue of the city’s pension funds’ recent selloff of Israeli government bonds.
The issue burst into public view earlier this month after First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro sent a letter to Lander demanding a full accounting of why the comptroller’s office did not reinvest in State of Israel bonds as they matured.
”This divestment, occurring amid a global ‘Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS)’ campaign against Israel, appears to be in furtherance of that BDS campaign, regardless of the adverse financial consequences for city pensioners,” Mastro pointedly wrote, adding that the action raised questions about whether Lander followed his fiduciary duty.
The comptroller replies that he’s not singling out Israel — and that Mastro simply doesn’t understand the obligations of the funds and how the city sets policies on which bonds to buy.
https://www.thecity.nyc/2025/07/22/israel-bonds-new-york-lander-adams/