Top Democratic leaders in New York have strongly criticized the participation of Israel's far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich in the city's annual Israel Day parade, according to The Guardian. Smotrich, who was among several Israeli officials attending the event, made his first trip to the United States in over a year, just weeks after the International Criminal Court sought an arrest warrant against him.
Key Attendees and Reactions
The parade saw participation from prominent New York politicians, including Senator Chuck Schumer, Representatives Dan Goldman and Jerry Nadler, Governor Kathy Hochul, and Attorney General Letitia James. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani faced criticism from pro-Israel groups for skipping the event. Statements from attendees underscore a widening rift between pro-Israel liberals and Israel's far-right movement.
Governor Hochul posted on X: "Bezalel Smotrich is a far-right extremist whose hateful and divisive rhetoric is fundamentally at odds with the values we hold dear in New York … I strongly condemn his participation." Attorney General James stated: "Islamophobia has no place in New York. I unequivocally condemn Bezalel Smotrich’s hateful rhetoric." A spokesperson for Senator Schumer told the New York Times that his condemnation of Smotrich is "longstanding, public and unchanged."
Controversy Over Approval
Questions have arisen about how Smotrich was permitted to join the parade. Mark Treyger, CEO of the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC-NY) and lead organizer, indicated that Smotrich and other far-right Israeli officials were likely invited as part of a group from Israel's consulate-general in New York. In a social media post, Treyger noted: "While some individuals who attended were neither invited by JCRC-NY nor known to us in advance, participation in the parade is not an endorsement of any political figure or ideology. We reject rhetoric that dehumanizes others, fuels division, or diminishes the dignity of any human being."
Mayor Mamdani expressed being "offended" by Smotrich's presence, describing his vision as one of "annihilation, a complicity in genocide and, frankly, a belief that does not have much value for even the sanctity of children in Gaza." Smotrich has advocated for Israel's annexation of the West Bank and the ethnic cleansing of Palestinian villages, and has called for Gaza's destruction. In 2025, the UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Norway imposed sanctions on him and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.
