A loving hug from the Big Apple: About two weeks after the Nakba parade passed through the streets of Manhattan and its participants called for the destruction of the State of Israel while waving the flags of Hezbollah and Hamas, today (Sunday) the Knesset delegation, consisting of 13 members from the coalition and opposition factions, launched the largest solidarity parade that New York City has ever seen - when, at its peak, tens of thousands of enthusiastic participants colored the streets of Manhattan with blue and white flags and thousands of colorful signs of support for the State of Israel and the city's large Jewish community.
According to estimates, this was the largest solidarity march for the State of Israel that New York City has ever seen - thus breaking an all-time record in terms of participants.
The one who was absent from the event, but stood out in almost every speech and discourse as the significant motivation for the mobilization of the masses for the parade, was Mayor Zohar Mamdani, who chose to boycott the event for political and anti-Israeli reasons - thereby breaking a tradition of over 60 years, in which the mayor of New York was one of the leaders of the traditional parade.
Mamdani's precedent-setting decision to boycott the parade, which was made against the backdrop of a sharp and worrying spike in anti-Semitic incidents in New York, was one of the main factors that motivated Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana to take an active initiative that is different from every year: in cooperation with the Jewish Agency, it was decided to triple the number of Knesset members who will participate in the parade this year, thereby expressing the importance of the event and its utmost sensitivity in the eyes of Israeli policymakers.
In this spirit, it was decided that for the first time since the parade's founding in 1964, the delegation would be headed by the Speaker of the Knesset, accompanied by a balanced mix of coalition and opposition members who would express complete and uncompromising unity of opinion in Israel's strength against its enemies at home and abroad.
Video: Nathan Weil, Knesset Spokesperson
And so, from the early afternoon, under a blanket of strict and unprecedented security, the Knesset delegation led by Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana launched the parade - and MKs Meir Cohen, Afif Abed and Hava Atia marched alongside Vladimir Belyak, Meirav Ben Ari and Orit Farkash HaCohen, who carried Israeli flags, along with MKs Oded Forer, Eitan Ginsburg, Ariel Kellner, Sasson Guetta, Yitzhak Kreuzer and Yulia Malinovsky.
The delegation, which drew a lot of attention, received a warm welcome and applause along the entire walking path on Fifth Avenue.
Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana: "This is an impressive show of strength and a direct message to the local leadership that is despicably stoking the fire of hatred in the city against Israel and its Jewish residents: Do not scare us. The attempt to uproot our ties in the region through lies and violence will not succeed and will be met here and everywhere with a powerful and united Zionist fist.".
Opposition coordinator MK Meirav Ben Ari: "I am coming to the solidarity march in New York, as a member of the opposition, but first and foremost as a representative of the State of Israel. We have political debates among ourselves, and sometimes deep disagreements, but we have a shared responsibility to stand together before the world, to strengthen the connection with Diaspora Jewry and to show that Israel is the national home of the entire Jewish people. In times like these, our presence here is more important than ever. Especially when the mayor of New York decided not to march this year, unlike in previous years, we must convey an important message from here that support for Israel comes first.".
The delegation of Knesset members, led by Knesset Speaker Ohana, is scheduled to fly back to Israel after the parade ends and report tomorrow for votes on the Knesset agenda.
The Israel Solidarity Parade, held annually since 1964, is considered the world's largest event in support of the State of Israel and its independence. The parade is organized by the Jewish Federation of New York and the JCRC, and brings together Jews and allies of all backgrounds and religions along Fifth Avenue in Manhattan to express solidarity with the State of Israel and the Jewish community.
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