NYC Mayor Adams Meets With Netanyahu in Israel
Mayor of New York City Eric Adams met with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday, at what Adams called a “pivotal moment for Israel,” the Times of Israel reported.
“You are a great friend of Israel,” Netanyahu told Adams on the second day of his three-day visit, according to the Jerusalem Post.
“You live in a city that is the intellectual, cultural, financial hub of the world and we’re sort of another hub. If we combine the hubs together, we will do better for everyone.”
Adams later explained that he met with Netanyahu to “deepen [the] bonds between his city and Israel.”
They also discussed the government’s controversial judicial reform plans, which caused a months-long movement of protests and is currently Israel’s greatest political fault line.
The NYC mayor also met with representatives of the protest movement against the reform plans. “These are historic moments,” Adams said, “and I just wanted to be here not to interfere, but just to learn. I’m aware that my trip comes at a pivotal moment for Israel and I believe the people of Israel will decide on how they want to move forward.”
“I listened, I didn’t weigh in, I think the people of Israel will determine their destiny. It was important to me to meet with people from both sides and hear,” Adams said, “but I did not give my opinion one way or another.”
Contrary to the Biden Administration and other Democrat politicians in the U.S., Adams has not publicly criticized the judicial reforms, stressing instead that his visit serves to understand both sides of the issue. “I have many challenges in my city, and I wouldn’t want someone to come in and interfere with how they work them out,” Adams emphasized.
Before the meeting with Netanyahu, the mayor met Foreign Minister Eli Cohen and a senior settler leader, Binyamin Regional Council chair Yisrael Gantz. Adams told Times of Israel that the visit didn’t represent his views about the status of the West Bank and the settlements. “That is not why I’m here,” the mayor said. “I’m here to talk about the issues that we stated with public safety and technology and to show my support for the people of Israel.”
Cohen emphasized the connection between Israel and New York through the city’s Jewish community and commended Adams for his fight against antisemitism.
This article originally appeared on All Israel News and is reposted with permission.
