Business · Companies · 1 hr ago
NYC comptroller declines to reinvest in Israel Bonds, cites financial concerns
New York City Comptroller Mark Levine said the city will not reinvest in Israel Bonds.
He said the decision was driven by financial concerns, not politics, and partly by a change in rules for short-term investments.
Levine had pledged during last year’s campaign to reinvest in the bonds, a longstanding issue in the city.
He said city pension funds still hold more than $285 million in Israeli investments, mostly equities, while the funds are worth more than $300 billion.
He described Israel as an important part of the city’s investment portfolio and said the funds are not taking part in a boycott of Israel.
The decision drew praise from anti-Israel groups and a welcome from Mayor Zohran Mamdani, while Jewish community groups welcomed Levine’s comments on economic ties.
Levine said the city continues to evaluate investing in Israel Bonds and that safeguarding pension funds remains his responsibility.
New York City Comptroller Mark Levine said the city will not reinvest in Israeli government bonds for now, citing financial considerations and technical challenges.
Levine said the decision was not political and that the city continues to hold more than $285 million in Israeli investments, mostly equities.
He had campaigned on buying Israeli bonds, but said the city’s current financial conditions mean it cannot make the investment now.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani welcomed the decision, while Levine reaffirmed the importance of the city’s economic ties with Israel.
Levine said the city continues to assess whether to invest in the bonds.
- Who
- New York City Comptroller Mark Levine decided against reinvesting in Israeli bonds.
- What
- The city will not buy the bonds for now, citing financial considerations and technical challenges.
- When
- Levine announced the decision on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, according to the articles.
- Where
- New York City.
- Why
- Levine cited financial considerations and technical challenges, including deteriorating credit conditions and financial risks.
Mark Levine
Zohran Mamdani and groups backing divestment
Bond investment
Mark Levine
Levine said the city could not invest in the bonds for now because of financial considerations and technical challenges.
Zohran Mamdani and groups backing divestment
Mamdani has backed divestment from Israel over its conduct in Gaza, and anti-Israel groups celebrated Levine’s decision.
Political significance
Mark Levine
Levine said the decision was about financial management, not politics, and that the city’s commitment to investing in Israel remained clear.
Zohran Mamdani and groups backing divestment
Mamdani welcomed the decision, and anti-Israel groups had long called for the city to divest from Israeli bonds.
Comptroller Brad Lander allowed the city’s Israeli bonds to mature without reinvesting.
Levine said he was considering buying Israeli bonds.
Levine made buying Israeli bonds a key element of his campaign for comptroller.
Levine announced that the city would not reinvest in Israeli bonds for now.
Levine reaffirmed the importance of New York City’s economic relationship with Israel and said the decision was not political.
- Comptroller
- Mark Levine
- City investments in Israel
- More than $285 million, mostly in equities
- City pension funds
- More than $300 billion in value
- Prior bond holdings
- About $39 million in 2023, according to Middle East Eye
- Decision
- No reinvestment in Israeli bonds for now
- Reasons cited
- Financial considerations and technical challenges
2 sources
What people are saying
I always said this would be based on financial considerations only, not politics - that’s still my position
But as of now, we feel that because of some technical challenges, and because of financial considerations, that this is not an investment that we can make right now.
Anyone suggesting that this means I am giving up on Israel is trying to turn the ordinary rebalancing and management of a pension portfolio into a political issue.
Sound financial stewardship and a strong New York–Israel relationship can and should go hand in hand,
Posts on X
We appreciate NYC Comptroller @MarkLevineNYC 's thoughtful statement reaffirming his deep personal connection to Israel, his commitment to honoring his promises, including his pledge to renew support for Israel Bonds, and the importance of the New York–Israel relationship. With
"Anyone suggesting that this means I am giving up on Israel is trying to turn the ordinary rebalancing and management of a pension portfolio into a political issue. That is simply not the case. Our commitment to investing in Israel remains clear in the hundreds of millions of
We welcome @NYCComptroller's statement reaffirming the importance of the economic relationship between New York City and Israel, and for making clear that the city’s pension funds, with more than $285 million invested in Israel, are not engaging in BDS. We welcome that clarity.