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Liberal Jewish groups plan UN protest against possible Ben-Gvir visit

From Jerusalem Post · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Liberal Jewish groups plan to protest Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir's potential visit to New York.
  • Protests are scheduled outside the United Nations, where Ben-Gvir might attend a policing conference.
  • It remains unclear if Ben-Gvir will visit, as he is not yet registered for the UN event.

Progressive Jewish organizations are preparing to protest the potential visit of Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir to New York City next week. Several groups have planned demonstrations outside the United Nations, where Israeli media reported Ben-Gvir might attend a conference on policing.

To our knowledge, Minister Ben-Gvir is not coming to New York at the moment.

— Consulate General of Israel in New York stafferResponding to inquiries about Ben-Gvir's potential visit.

Some left-wing groups are also organizing separate protests and have circulated an open letter urging State Attorney General Letitia James to prosecute Ben-Gvir for war crimes. However, it is currently uncertain whether the minister will actually travel to New York. A staffer for the Consulate General of Israel in New York informed the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that, to their knowledge, Ben-Gvir is not currently planning a visit.

It’s really important for people, both American Jews and Israelis, to say that extremists like Ben-Gvir aren’t accepted in our community.

— Rabbi Jill JacobsExpressing opposition to Ben-Gvir's potential presence in New York.

A United Nations official also confirmed that Ben-Gvir was not yet registered for the UN Chiefs of Police Summit, scheduled for July 7 and 8. While he could still register in the coming days, his attendance is not confirmed. Ben-Gvir, a controversial figure and leader of the far-right Otzma Yehudit party, has a history of advocating for policies such as renewed Jewish settlement in Gaza and has faced accusations of inciting violence against Palestinians.

He just doesn’t belong in New York, or in the Israeli government, or espousing his views anywhere in Jewish society.

— Rabbi Jill JacobsFurther elaborating on the unacceptability of Ben-Gvir's views.

Rabbi Jill Jacobs, head of the progressive rabbinic human rights group T’ruah, stated that extremists like Ben-Gvir are not accepted within their community. T’ruah is co-organizing a protest outside the UN with nearly a dozen other liberal Jewish groups, emphasizing that the demonstration comes from those who are not anti-Israel but envision safety for both Israelis and Palestinians. Another protest is scheduled for the same plaza just hours later, led by different left-wing organizations.

people who are not looking to destroy the state, who are not anti-Israel in any way, but who envision a place of both Israelis and Palestinians being safe.

— Rabbi Jill JacobsDescribing the motivation behind the planned protest.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Jerusalem Post. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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