The title of Democratic New York City Councilman Kalman Yeger’s speech at the New York State Conservative Conference in Albany was crystal clear on where he stands concerning the political, ideological, and physical battle between Israel and Palestine:
“The Alarming Rise of Antisemitism in Israel’s Greatest Ally” was the topic of Councilman Yeger’s talk, who just three weeks before sat with a 13-year-old Israeli girl who was held hostage for 50 days by Hamas and released.
“Posters of victims of Hamas terrorism are joyfully torn down by people who turned to the camera recording them, and they called it ‘propaganda, fake news,’ as if no one was kidnapped by Hamas and held in captivity. Don’t you tell me that this is fake. I saw it with my own eyes,” said Yeger to a full ballroom at the Downtown Albany Hilton.
Yeger outlined numerous examples of anti-semitism being alive and well in schools, college campuses, and within the New York City Council where he serves with a total of 51 council members.
He pointed to protests at college campuses, specifically at Harvard, where some protestors called for the end of Israel.
“At Harvard and other so-called prestigious universities, it’s not considered a violation of college policy to call for the annihilation of the Jewish people. At universities it’s increasingly dangerous to be visibly Jewish,” said Yeger, who also condemned New York City schools for transfering a teacher who was allegedly beaten by students when they found out she attended a “pro-Israel” rally.
“Students at this New York City public high school, they wouldn’t know Palestine from the Palisades, or from Pasadena, they violently targeted this teacher. If you assume those students were expelled, suspended, or reprimanded you’d assume wrong. The teacher, the victim, was transferred,” said the Democratic New York City councilman.
Yeger concluded his presentation by pointing to progress, that his legislative body in April of 2023 did pass “End Jew Hatred” Day in New York City.
“It was a good resolution,” said Yeger.
Out of 51 New York City Council members, six refused to vote in favor of the measure. Four abstained. Two voted against it.