Several prominent New York Democrats who participated in the city's annual Israel Day parade on Sunday have condemned the participation of Bezalel Smotrich, the far-right Israeli finance minister and a leading figure in the Israeli settler movement, in the event. Smotrich was among several Israeli lawmakers and cabinet officials who marched in the parade on Sunday. His appearance marked his first trip to the United States in more than a year, and came less than a month after he said the International Criminal Court (ICC) was seeking an arrest warrant against him.
Parade Draws Broad Political Participation
The parade drew a broad roster of New York political leaders, including Senator Chuck Schumer, Representatives Dan Goldman and Jerry Nadler, Governor Kathy Hochul, Attorney General Letitia James, Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson, City Council Speaker Julie Menin, Comptroller Mark Levine, and others. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani drew criticism from pro-Israel figures for declining to attend, citing his opposition to the Israeli government.
Statements Distancing from Smotrich
In the aftermath of the event, several high-profile attendees released statements distancing themselves from Smotrich, saying they were unaware that he would be present and publicly denouncing him. Their statements reflected the difficult dance facing pro-Israel Democrats who must contend with Israel's increasingly extremist government representatives and declining support for the country among their own voters.
Governor Kathy Hochul said on Monday 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. Yesterday's parade was a celebration of Jewish pride, community, and unity. I strongly condemn his participation."
Attorney General Letitia James similarly criticized Smotrich, writing on social media that "Islamophobia has no place in New York. I unequivocally condemn Bezalel Smotrich's hateful rhetoric."
A spokesperson for Senator Chuck Schumer told the New York Times that the senator's "condemnation of Smotrich's extremism is longstanding, public and unchanged."
Questions About Smotrich's Attendance
Questions also emerged about 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 the Times that they did not know that Smotrich and other far-right Israeli officials, including ministers Ofir Sofer, Yitzhak Wasserlauf, and Amichay Eliyahu, were attending. Treyger said that Smotrich and other officials appeared to have been brought to the parade with 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.
In a social media post on Monday, Treyger added that "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 further stated: "We reject rhetoric that dehumanizes others, fuels division, or diminishes the dignity of any human being."
Smotrich's Controversial History
Smotrich has called for Israel to annex the West Bank and for Palestinian villages there to be ethnically cleansed, and for Gaza to be "destroyed." He has also described himself as a "proud homophobe." Last year, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Norway imposed sanctions on Smotrich and Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, stating that the ministers have "incited extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights."
Dan Shapiro, a former United States ambassador to Israel, also condemned Smotrich's appearance and said 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's Response
Mayor Zohran Mamdani said on Monday that he was "offended" by the participation of Smotrich and several other Israeli lawmakers and ministers. Speaking on MSNBC, Mamdani said that "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." However, Mamdani did commit extensive security to the parade, in which his police commissioner, Jessica Tisch, marched. "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," Mamdani said.
Political Implications
Former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander also skipped the parade. Lander is now running for Congress against Representative Dan Goldman in a primary race that has come to focus on the candidates' differing positions on Israel. During a primary debate on Monday, Goldman said that 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 Smotrich would attend. "I am incredibly disappointed that that occurred because I have called for his removal, I have called for sanctions against him," he said.
Lander responded that he and Goldman had "profound differences" and that "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."
