Democrats at New York’s Israel Day Parade Condemn Far-Right Minister Smotrich’s Attendance
Several prominent New York politicians who participated in the city’s annual Israel Day parade on Sunday have publicly condemned the participation of Bezalel Smotrich, the far-right Israeli finance minister and a leading figure in the Israeli settler movement.
Smotrich was among several Israeli lawmakers and cabinet officials who marched in the parade on Sunday. This marked his first trip to the US in over a year and came less than a month after he claimed that the International Criminal Court (ICC) was "hunting" him.
The parade featured a wide array of New York political leaders, including Senator Chuck Schumer; House Representatives Jamaal Bowman and Ritchie Torres; New York Governor Kathy Hochul; the state’s Attorney General Letitia James; Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson; City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams; the city’s Comptroller Brad Lander; and others. New York City’s mayor, Zohran Mamdani, faced criticism from pro-Israel figures for declining to attend, citing his opposition to the Israeli government.
Statements Distancing from Smotrich
Following the event, several high-profile attendees issued statements distancing themselves from Smotrich, indicating they were unaware of his presence and publicly denouncing him. These statements underscore the challenges faced by pro-Israel Democrats who must navigate Israel’s increasingly extremist government representatives amid declining support for the country among their own voters.
"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," Hochul stated on Monday on X. "Yesterday’s parade was a celebration of Jewish pride, community, and unity. I strongly condemn his participation."
James similarly criticized Smotrich, stating that "Islamophobia has no place in New York. I unequivocally condemn Bezalel Smotrich’s hateful rhetoric."
A spokesperson for Schumer told that the senator’s "condemnation of Smotrich’s extremism is unequivocal."
Questions Over Smotrich’s Attendance
Questions have arisen regarding how Smotrich came to attend the parade. Mark Treyger, chief executive of the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC-NY), the parade’s lead organizer, told that they were unaware that Smotrich and other far-right Israeli officials, including government ministers Ofir Sofer, Yitzhak Wasserlauf, and Amichay Eliyahu, would be attending.
Treyger explained that Smotrich and other officials appeared to have been brought to the parade by a group from Israel’s consulate general in New York.
"There was a complete lack of transparency here," Treyger told the outlet, adding that he did not learn of Smotrich’s presence until near the end of the event.
The Israeli consulate of New York did not immediately respond to a request for comment from .
In a social media post on Monday, Treyger stated,
"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."
Treyger added: "We reject rhetoric that dehumanizes others, fuels division, or diminishes the dignity of any human being."
Smotrich’s Controversial Positions
Smotrich has advocated for Israel to annex the West Bank and for Palestinian villages there to be demolished, and has called for Gaza to be "wiped out." He has also described himself as a "proud homophobe." Last year, the UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Norway imposed sanctions on Smotrich, as well as on the Israeli national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, citing that the ministers have "incited extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights."
Reactions from Former Officials and Local Leaders
Dan Shapiro, a former US ambassador to Israel, criticized Smotrich’s appearance, stating that Smotrich was "not invited to the Israel Day Parade in New York" and that "he crashed it."
"He should have stayed away," Shapiro wrote. "His extremist views do harm to the US-Israel relationship."
Mayor Mamdani expressed that he was "offended" by the participation of Smotrich and several other Israeli lawmakers and ministers.
Speaking on MSNBC, Mamdani said,
"You can see in the participation of the far-right Israeli minister Smotrich, as well as a number of other ministers, a vision of annihilation, a complicity in genocide and, frankly, a belief that does not have much value for even the sanctity of children in Gaza."
Despite his opposition, Mamdani committed extensive security to the parade, with his police commissioner, Jessica Tisch, marching. He stated,
"When it comes to members of my administration, I allow them to make their own decisions as to what marches they would like to participate in."
Former New York City comptroller Brad Lander also chose not to attend the parade. Lander is currently challenging Congressman Jamaal Bowman in a primary race that has become defined by the candidates’ differing positions on Israel.
During a press conference on Monday, Bowman said he was "proud" to march in the parade "to celebrate the nation and state of Israel," which he said is "distinct from its government." He added that he opposes the Netanyahu government and was unaware that Smotrich would attend.
"I am incredibly disappointed that that occurred because I have called for his removal, I have called for sanctions against him," Bowman said.
Lander responded that he and Bowman had "profound differences" and stated,
"While Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, violating international law, violating Palestinian human rights, I believe we should not be sending additional US military aid to Israel, and I won’t be marching in the Israel Day parade alongside government ministers in Netanyahu’s government like Bezalel Smotrich."
