LONDON: Top New York Democrats who took part in the city’s Israel Day parade have condemned the presence of Israel’s far-right finance minister, The Guardian reported.
Bezalel Smotrich was among several Israeli government figures who took part. It marked his first trip to the US in more than a year, and less than a month after he said the International Criminal Court was pursuing an arrest warrant against him.
An array of New York political leaders took part in the annual parade, including Sen. Chuck Schumer, House Reps. Dan Goldman and Jerry Nadler, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and the state’s Attorney General Letitia James.
Zohran Mamdani, New York City’s mayor, was criticized by pro-Israel figures for his absence.
Statements by high-profile attendees in the wake of the event highlight the growing schism between pro-Israel liberals and Israel’s ascendant far-right movement.
