On Tuesday night at New York Mayor Eric Adam's reception for Jewish Heritage at Gracie Mansion, Ambassador Ofir Akunis, Consul General of Israel in New York delivered a powerful speech to a crowd of hundreds of community members.
"We are against a global intifada," Akunis said.
"We are for deepening our shared American and Jewish values around the world,” he added. “Throughout history, many enemies and leaders vowed to destroy the Jewish people. They are gone — and we are still here.”
“No one will preach to us, and no one will bring the Jewish people to their knees," he said. "The Jews of New York played a vital role in building this city, grounded in the shared values of the United States and the Jewish people: the values of freedom and democracy."
Akunis's remarks follow the victory of far-left candidate Zohran Mamdani in the Democratic primaries for New York City Mayor.
Mamdani has faced accusations of antisemitism over his positions on Israel, including his support for the phrase "globalize the Intifada," a phrase widely believed to be a call for violence against Jews around the world.