Ofir Akunis, the Israeli consul general in New York, decried the antisemitic confrontation involving Democratic congressional nominee Brad Lander, a former city comptroller, at a protest outside Madison Square Garden on Saturday.
Lander, who is Jewish and who has accused Israel of “genocide,” defeated Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.), the incumbent, for the Democratic nomination in New York’s 10th Congressional District.
Protesters confronted Lander at a demonstration over his identification as a Zionist. One yelled antisemitic insults at him and told him to leave, according to video and reports.
Akunis said that the incident demonstrates that Jew-hatred “does not distinguish between Jews based on their political views.”
“About a week-and-a-half ago, there was an attack at Central Synagogue,” a Reform Jewish congregation in Midtown Manhattan, the Israeli envoy said. “This weekend, there was an attack against Lander.”
“To these extremist groups, there is no distinction between Jews,” he said.
Akunis warned that “the parallels between today and pre-World War II Germany are far too striking.”
