Higher offered interest and an unchanged Fitch rating underscore ICAN’s call for Mark Levine to keep his original commitment to restore Israel Bonds purchases.
Israel Bonds offered higher interest in October than in April: the two-year Jubilee rate rose from 4.05% to 5.10%, and the five-year rate from 4.90% to 6.00%, according to the issuer’s SEC filings for April 15–30 and October 1–14, 2026. Fitch’s sovereign rating remains A.
The Israeli-American Civic Action Network condemns New York City Comptroller Mark Levine’s retreat from his pledge to restore Israel Bonds purchases and urges him to keep his original commitment.
The city’s pension funds began purchasing Israeli government bonds in 1974. Brad Lander, Levine’s predecessor, allowed the holdings to mature in January 2023 without buying replacements, citing investment guidelines and cash-management concerns. Levine campaigned on restoring those purchases.
Levine defended that commitment in financial terms. In a JTA interview published September 19, 2025, he said: “And a good, diversified portfolio should allocate a component to Israel bonds.” After taking office, he continued to defend buying the bonds, telling an audience at 92NY on April 22, 2026: “They pay excellent interest.”
He now says Israel Bonds are “not an investment that we can make right now,” citing financial and technical concerns. Higher offered interest and an unchanged Fitch rating strengthen ICAN’s call for him to follow through. Levine owes New Yorkers action on his pledge and a clear account of what changed in his assessment.
Jewish Voice for Peace celebrated his decision as “MAJOR BDS VICTORY IN NEW YORK CITY.” ICAN rejects the campaign to isolate Israel and expects investment decisions to rest on financial merits.
Levine won the November 4, 2025 general election with 75.2% of the vote. The next regularly scheduled citywide general election is November 6, 2029. New Yorkers deserve to see him keep the commitment he made.