(from left to right: Brian Hook, Jared Kushner, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Jason Greenblatt and Ron Dermer. Credit for photo is: Kobi Gideon (GPO)
Jared Kushner, President Trump’s senior adviser and son-in-law, met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday afternoon. Kushner is in Israel to build momentum toward next month’s “economic workshop” in Bahrain.
By: WIN Staff
Also attending the meeting were U.S. Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook and Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Ron Dermer.
Trump negotiator Jason Greenblatt is part of the delegation, which arrived in Israel on Wednesday.
“It’s always a great pleasure to welcome Jared Kushner and Jason Greenblatt to Israel, to Jerusalem, and to discuss our common efforts for prosperity, security and peace,” Netanyahu said. “I’m tremendously encouraged by how the United States, under President Trump, is working to bring allies together in this region against common challenges, but also to seize common opportunities.”
The Bahrain conference is expected to focus on economic aspects of the “Deal of the Century.” It will run from June 25-26.
However, with Netanyahu unable to form a governing coalition, the future of the Trump plan is in question. Ironically, the Trump administration waited to present its peace plan until after Israel had a new government in place.
Israel will return to the voting booth in September.
Israel is the third and final stop for the team working to garner support for a Middle East peace plan. The envoys first stopped in Morocco, where they met with King Mohammed VI, Crown Prince Moulay Hassan and Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita. They then went to Jordan to meet with King Abdullah II.
Following his meeting with King Abdullah II, Greenblatt tweeted: “Constructive meeting with @KingAbdullahII in Jordan today including a good conversation about regional dynamics and our administration’s efforts to help Israel and the Palestinians achieve a brighter future.”
Though Moroccan officials have declined commenting on the visit, the official Petra news agency reported that the Jordanian visit involved discussing, “regional developments, especially efforts to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.”
The King also “stressed the need to step up all efforts to achieve comprehensive and lasting peace on the basis of the two-state solution, guaranteeing the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 4 June 1967 lines, with east Jerusalem as its capital, living side by side with solidarity with the Palestinians.
The Bahrain conference will discuss economic incentives to bring peace between Israel and the Palestinians. However, it has been made clear that Palestinian statehood is not on the agenda. Therefore, Palestinian political leaders as well as representatives from China and Russia will boycott the event.
Kushner has signaled that the White House may be pulling back from America’s previous support for a two-state solution.
Earlier this month, he said “If you say ‘two-state,’ it means one thing to the Israelis, it means one thing to the Palestinians. We said, ‘you know, let’s just not say it. Let’s just say, let’s work on the details of what this means.’”
However, he has billed the economic workshop as “a pivotal opportunity… to share ideas, discuss strategies and galvanize support for potential economic investments and initiatives that could be made possible by a peace agreement.”
After meeting the prime minister, Kushner affirmed Trump’s commitment to Israel’s security. “The security of Israel is something that’s critical to the relations between America and Israel, and also very important to the President, and we appreciate all your efforts to strengthen the relationship between our two countries.
“It’s never been stronger, and we’re very excited about all the potential that lies ahead for Israel, for the relationship, and for the future.” (World Israel News)
IDF announces ‘flagship’ attack tunnel dug by Hezbollah to infiltrate Israeli communities has been sealed
By: A7 Staff
The IDF, in an effort led by the Northern Command and the 91st Division, completed the destruction of an attack tunnel that was dug by the Hezbollah terror organization, crossing into Israeli territory from Lebanon. The attack tunnel was dug from the Shi’ite village of Ramiyeh and was exposed by the IDF last January as part of Operation “Northern Shield”. In addition, the IDF released footage of their operations to locate the last found cross-border attack tunnel
Hezbollah planned to infiltrate Israel through the attack tunnel into Israeli communities near the border in order to harm civilians as part of its war plans.
The attack tunnel was neutralized by pumping sealants after the tunnel was thoroughly investigated in recent months. The portion of the attack tunnel in Lebanese territory was destroyed and the whole structure was rendered useless.
This was a cross border attack tunnel belonging to the Hezbollah terror organization and neutralized by the IDF, following the other attack tunnels that were neutralized and destroyed in Operation “Northern Shield”.
“One of our most important responsibilities is to keep an ongoing battle against tunnels both in the Southern and Northern frontier,” An IDF officer told Fox News.
This tunnel was the flagship tunnel of the Hezbollah terror organization tunneling effort, in which Hezbollah invested the most resources and efforts. Infrastructure was installed in it that allowed for a prolonged stay of terrorists inside, efficient excavation capabilities and mobility of operatives.
The UN force in Lebanon, UNIFIL, investigated the tunnel and confirmed it was dug from Lebanon into Israel, in violation of UNSCR 1701.
The IDF estimates that there are no more tunnels penetrating Israeli territory, and that there are only a few more tunnels inside Lebanese territory at a depth of several hundred meters.
The last tunnel, which was also the largest tunnel dug to a depth of eighty meters near the village of Ramiyeh in the center of the northern sector near Zarit, was the last of the tunnels through which Hezbollah intended to break into Israel and carry out a series of attacks along the fence.
The IDF says that the probability of war being initiated by Hezbollah is low, and that Operation Northern Shield has strengthened deterrence.
Fox News reported that Amid new regional tension with Iran, reports indicate these tunnels were meant to be used by the Iranian proxy Hezbollah in a ground operation against Israel.
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah confirmed they were supposed to be used as a tool for war.
“If there is a war, and I say if we decide to enter the Galilee, the tunnels will partially help. An operation like this one needs the whole border area. I say to them: ‘You will never know how we will go in; on the ground, underground from the sky,’” Nasrallah said.
While the army is completing the neutralization of the Ramiyeh tunnel, the same tunnel continues to be used to locate tunnels and other means used by the organization against the IDF, such as drones, photographs and information gathering. (INN)
(from left to right: Brian Hook, Jared Kushner, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Jason Greenblatt and Ron Dermer. Credit for photo is: Kobi Gideon (GPO)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with senior US Presidential envoy Jared Kushner and US envoy to the Middle East Jason Greenblatt on Thursday at the Prime Minister’s residence in Jerusalem. Also attending the meeting were US Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook and Israeli Ambassador to the US Ron Dermer.
“It’s always a great pleasure to welcome Jared Kushner and Jason Greenblatt to Israel, to Jerusalem, and to discuss our common efforts for prosperity, security and peace. I’m tremendously encouraged by how the United States, under President Trump, is working to bring allies together in this region against common challenges, but also to seize common opportunities, “ said Prime Minister Netanyahu.
He added: “And, you know, we had a little event last night. That’s not going to stop us. We’re going to continue working together. We had a great, productive meeting, which reaffirms that the alliance between the United States of America and Israel has never been stronger, and it’s going to get even stronger.”
Jared Kushner said, “I want to thank Prime Minister Netanyahu for his gracious hospitality. I send greetings from President Trump for you and for all people of Israel. This was my first time in Israel since the President recognized the Golan Heights, which was a very important announcement. The security of Israel is something that’s critical to the relations between America and Israel, and also very important to the President, and we appreciate all your efforts to strengthen the relationship between our two countries. It’s never been stronger, and we’re very excited about all the potential that lies ahead for Israel, for the relationship, and for the future.”
Donald Trump’s national security adviser said Wednesday there was “no reason” for Iran to back out of its nuclear deal with world powers other than to seek atomic weapons, a year after the U.S. president unilaterally withdrew America from the accord. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Tensions have soared as the U.S. beefed up its military presence in the Persian Gulf in response to a threat from Iran.
By: WIN Staff
Donald Trump’s national security adviser said Wednesday there was “no reason” for Iran to back out of its nuclear deal with world powers other than to seek atomic weapons, a year after the U.S. president unilaterally withdrew America from the accord.
John Bolton also claimed that the alleged sabotage of four oil tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) came from naval mines placed “almost certainly by Iran.”
Speaking in Abu Dhabi, the Emirati capital, Bolton told journalists that there had been a previously unknown attempt to attack the Saudi oil port of Yanbu as well.
However, Bolton stressed that the U.S. has not seen any further Iranian attacks in the time since, something he attributed to military deployments. America recently sent an aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers to the Persian Gulf.
He warned the U.S. would strike back if attacked.
“The point is to make it very clear to Iran and its surrogates that these kinds of action risk a very strong response from the United States,” Bolton threatened, without elaborating.
Saudi officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment about Bolton’s claim on Yanbu, which is the terminus, or end point, of the kingdom’s East-West Pipeline. That pipeline was attacked in recent days in a coordinated drone assault launched by Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi rebels.
In recent weeks, tensions have soared as the U.S. beefed up its military presence in the Persian Gulf in response to a still-unexplained threat from Iran.
The U.S. has also accused Iran of being behind a string of incidents, including the alleged sabotage of oil tankers near the UAE coast and a rocket that landed near the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, while Yemen’s Iranian-aligned Houthi rebels have launched a string of drone attacks targeting Saudi Arabia.
Netanyahu says he won’t let Iran attain a nuclear bomb
Iran, meanwhile, has announced it was backing away from the 2015 nuclear deal, which saw it limit its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. Trump withdrew the U.S. from the accord as he believes it didn’t go far enough in limiting the Iranian nuclear program, nor did it address Iran’s ballistic missile program.
Bolton said that without more nuclear power plants, it made no sense for Iran to stockpile more low-enriched uranium as it now plans to do.
Reacting to the Iranian announcement that it would resume higher enrichment of uranium, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu renewed his vow not to allow Iran to attain a nuclear bomb.
“I heard that Iran intends to continue its nuclear program and we will not allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons,” said the prime minister, in an address earlier this month.
Iran has set a July 7 deadline for Europe to offer better terms to the unraveling nuclear deal, otherwise it will resume enrichment closer to weapons level.
Bolton declined to say what the U.S. would do in response to that but he criticized Iran’s actions.
“There’s no reason for them to do any of that unless that’s part of an effort to reduce the breakout time to produce nuclear weapons,” Bolton said. “That’s a very serious issue if they continue to do that.”
Iran has long insisted that its nuclear program is only for peaceful purposes. However, Western powers pushed for the nuclear deal to limit Iran’s ability to seek atomic weapons.
“This is just more graphic evidence that it hasn’t constrained their continuing desire to have nuclear weapons,” Bolton added. “It certainly hasn’t reduced their terrorist activities in the region that we just discussed or their other malign behavior in their use of conventional forces.”
In addition to the nuclear threat, Iran also backs terror groups in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon that do not recognize Israel’s right to exist. (World Israel News)
The East Hampton Beach. (Credit for all photos: Lieba Nesis)
The Hamptons started off Memorial Day swinging as thousands gathered for the beginning of what is sure to be the most crowded and exciting season yet. If you didn’t book the $35 Jitney a week in advance you were out of luck as nearly every bus on Thursday and Friday was occupied from morning until night.
By: Lieba Nesis
There are other ways to get to the Hamptons including chartering a private helicopter which takes 45 minutes to East Hampton with prices starting at $795 a seat. If you are too harried to carry your bags there is a courier service entitled “Tote Taxi” that will pick up and drop off your bags for the reasonable price of $39 for weekend bags and $49 for suitcases. Danielle Candela founded the company in 2016 with $15,000 seed money awarded on Shark Tank and has continued to expand at a record pace as guests participating in weddings, and bachelorette parties are able to get wares to their destination with minimal bother. I took the Friday afternoon Jitney and arrived in East Hampton four-hours-and-fifteen minutes later.
Sag Harbor town
Ice Cream store in East Hampton
Fishel’s beautiful home in Bridgehampton
Gin Lane in Southampton
The Watermill Center Benefit in the Hamptons
Our Writer and Photographer Lieba Nesis reports on her weekend in the Hamptons
My first stop was to ice cream store Scoop Du Jour open from 7 AM to 11 PM on weekends with crowds down the block patiently waiting on line during the three-day-weekend. The flavors include Vanilla Peanut Butter, S’mores and Butter Pecan with an equally delicious option of fat-free yogurts such as Coffee Chip, and Heath Bar. While Scoop has started serving burgers and food how can you order a sandwich when you have dozens of magnificent flavors staring you in the eye. There are other new places opening with full course meals including Blu Mar and Silver Lining Diner in Southampton, Armin and Judy in Bridgehampton, Coche Comedor in Amagansett, Bostwick’s on the Harbor in East Hampton and Showfish in Montauk. Unfortunately a few of these restaurants including Blu Mar and Paola’s were unable to get their liquor licenses in time for Memorial Day Weekend which led to a loss of close to $125,000 according to owner of Blu Mar Zach Erdem. Since the rents have soared over the past year many eateries have emptied out allowing others to grab the spots at discounted prices during an eleven-day period in April. However, this was an insufficient amount of time to get licenses with Erdem acknowledging he is fearful he will be unable to recoup his $450,000 in annual rent.
Thankfully, the Great Rose Shortage of 2014 won’t be repeated this year as California wineries have amped up their production for the summer. Hamptonites still discuss in hushed tones the weeks before Labor Day in 2014 where empty shelves in multiple wine stores abounded. Rose sales increased 50% globally last year and the Wolffer Estate has taken advantage of this trend by marking up a $31 bottle of Grandioso to $54 as cars line up every Friday afternoon to guzzle the delicacy. The best place to imbibe your rose is a difficult choice as exorbitantly priced inns such as The Baker House 1650, The Maidstone and Baron’s Cove start at $800 with a three-day minimum. Enter “glamping”, which offers roomy tents with a full-service concierge at various locations. Along with 30 sleeping tents available at $300 on TerraGlamping.com, lounge tents, a dining tent and a fire pit for s’mores and grilling will be accessible along with bathrooms located in luxury trailers.
People frequently ponder why the wealthiest people in the world choose to plop down in Long Island during the most coveted part of the year-when an array of options exist. Speaking with Southampton broker Joe Piccininni was enlightening as he remarked that more than $1 trillion in wealth had settled into the Hamptons for Memorial Day weekend. After carefully contemplating the answer to why the wealthiest flock to this hotspot I have concluded the appeal of the Hamptons is largely due to its close proximity to New York, the unrivaled variety of restaurants and stores in East and Southampton along with Montauk and Sag Harbor, the magnificent and impeccably kept beaches and towns, and finally and most importantly the highly sophisticated and urbane clientele that continues to come year after year to this oasis located on the East End of Long Island.
Special counsel Robert Mueller reiterated Wednesday that charging President Trump with obstruction of justice was not an option his office could consider under Justice Department guidelines.
By: Masood Farivar
Mueller also announced the closure of his office after concluding in late March a two-year probe into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and whether Trump had obstructed justice.
Explaining his decision not to bring formal charges against Trump despite uncovering nearly a dozen instances of possible obstruction of justice, Mueller said he was barred by a long-standing Justice Department legal opinion that says a sitting president can’t be indicted.
“The special counsel’s office is part of the Department of Justice and, by regulation, it was bound by that department policy,” Mueller said in his first public remarks since his appointment more than two years ago. “Charging the president with a crime, therefore, was not an option we could consider.”
The former FBI director was appointed as special counsel in May 2017 after Trump fired then-FBI Director James Comey. Mueller was tasked with investigating any links or coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia, and whether Trump later interfered with the investigation.
Speaking from a podium at the Justice Department, Mueller said his decision not to charge Trump was informed in part by the view that the U.S. Constitution provides for a separate process for accusing a sitting president of wrongdoing, an apparent reference to the constitutional process of impeaching and removing a president.
“And beyond department policy, we were guided by principles of fairness,” Mueller said. “It would be unfair to potentially accuse somebody of a crime when there can be no court resolution of an actual charge.”
However, Mueller said that while there was “insufficient evidence” to charge Trump with a “broader conspiracy” during the election, he stressed that his investigation had not exonerated the president of wrongdoing, saying “if we had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said that.”
Mueller’s final statement as special counsel appeared in part intended as a defense of his investigation against renewed criticism from Trump and his Republican allies.
Trump continues to deride the investigation as a “witch hunt” and a waste of money, while Attorney General William Barr has questioned the constitutionality of investigating Trump for obstruction of justice and launched a review to determine whether intelligence agencies engaged in improper “spying” of the Trump campaign.
Mueller rebutted those criticisms by noting that his investigation had gathered evidence of Russian efforts to “interfere in our political system.”
“They needed to be investigated and understood,” Mueller said of the Russian election meddling.
Because of the “paramount importance” of the investigation, Mueller said, it was critical for investigators to “obtain full and accurate information from every person we questioned.”
“When a subject of an investigation obstructs that investigation or lies to investigators, it strikes at the core of the government’s effort to find the truth and hold wrongdoers accountable,” he said.
In his 448-page confidential report on the investigation, Mueller wrote that he’d found insufficient evidence of a criminal conspiracy between the Trump presidential campaign and Moscow. As to whether Trump criminally obstructed the investigation, the special counsel wrote that while he could not charge the president, he could not exonerate him either.
That left it to the attorney general, who, in a controversial decision made in consultation with senior Justice Department officials, determined that Trump could not be charged with obstruction based on the evidence uncovered by Mueller. Barr said he made the determination irrespective of the Justice Department policy against charging a sitting president, even though Mueller suggested that it would have been inappropriate to do so.
Barr’s decision outraged Democrats, who have accused the attorney general of misrepresenting Mueller’s conclusions and had been pressing for the special counsel to testify before Congress. While not ruling out a congressional appearance, Mueller said, to the disappointment of many Democrats, that he would not go beyond the report if he were to testify.
“The report is my testimony,” he said. “I would not provide information beyond that which is already public in any appearance before Congress.”
In his statement, Mueller sought to play down reported friction with the attorney general over the manner in which the report was released to Congress and the public.
Barr initially sent a four-page summary of the report’s principal conclusions to Congress, followed by a redacted version of the full report last month. The Democratic-controlled House Judiciary Committee later voted to hold Barr in contempt of Congress for failing to release the full report along with the underlying evidence used to prepare it.
Mueller said that while he asked the attorney general to release “certain portions of the report” to Congress early on, he did “not question the attorney general’s good faith” in deciding to make the entire report public at a later date.
In a statement, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said, “Mr. Mueller explicitly said that he has nothing to add beyond the report, and therefore, does not plan to testify before Congress.”
“The report was clear — there was no collusion, no conspiracy — and the Department of Justice confirmed there was no obstruction. Special counsel Mueller also stated that Attorney General Barr acted in good faith in his handling of the report,” Sanders said. “After two years, the special counsel is moving on with his life, and everyone else should do the same.”
In a tweet after Mueller’s statement, Trump wrote: “Nothing changes from the Mueller Report. There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent. The case is closed! Thank you.”
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., responded to Mueller’s remarks, saying, “It falls to Congress to respond to the crimes, lies and other wrongdoings of President Trump — and we will do so.” (VOA)
After a 12-hour debate, lawmakers approved a measure by a vote of 74 to 45 to dissolve the 21st Knesset and hold new elections on September 17
By: JNS Staff
Israeli lawmakers took an unprecedented step on Wednesday to dissolve the Knesset, throwing the country back into another election season just weeks after a national election.
After a 12-hour debate, lawmakers approved a measure by a vote of 74 to 45 to dissolve the 21st Knesset and hold new elections on September 17. The Likud-sponsored bill was supported by fellow right-wing parties Yisrael Beitenu, United Torah Judaism, Shas and the Union of Right-Wing Parties as well as two Israeli Arab parties, Ra’am Balad and Hadash Ta’al.
As one of the only acts of the 21st Knesset, the decision to dissolve the parliament came after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was unable to form a governing coalition.
The failure largely came as a result of an impasse between former defense minister and Yisrael Beiteinu party leader Avigdor Lieberman and the ultra-Orthodox parties – Shas and United Torah Judaism over a military draft bill.
Netanyahu needed 61 seats to form a governing coalition. Without Yisrael Beiteinu’s five seats, the Israeli premier would only have 60 seats in his right-wing coalition. As such, the move to dissolve the Knesset was set to preempt Israeli President Reuven Rivlin from choosing someone else to form a governing coalition after the May 30 deadline.
Lieberman, whose party draws support from Israel’s largely secular Russian immigrant community, refused to join the government unless the draft bill, which was crafted in the last Knesset, would be passed unaltered, which the ultra-Orthodox parties dismissed outright.
“To my sorrow, the state of Israel is going to elections,” Lieberman told reporters at the Knesset. “We are natural partners in a right-wing government; we won’t be partners in a halachic government.”
“The Likud failed in this work of building a coalition… and they and the Haredim are to blame for Israel going to elections.”
In a statement, Netanyahu largely blamed Lieberman for the failure to form a government.
“The public in Israel made a clear decision. It decided that I will be prime minister, that the Likud will lead the government, a right-wing government,” said Netanyahu. “The public voted for me to lead the state of Israel.”
“All of the requests and demands of Yisrael Beitenu were repeatedly rejected,” continued Netanyahu. “I presented a proposal. He rejected it. He wanted, in the clearest way, to bring down the government.”
“Avigdor Liberman is now part of the left. He brings down right-wing governments. Don’t believe him again,” he said.
The dissolution of the Knesset comes after a frantic day of political offers and horse trading that saw Likud negotiators offer a wide range of ministries and legislative promises to members of the Labor Party and Blue and White Party, who are both set to sit in the opposition.
As one of the biggest possible political bombshells, Likud offered Labor to join the coalition in exchange for possible portfolios such as Finance and Justice. Even senior Labor MK Amir Peretz was reportedly offered the presidency following the end of Rivlin’s term. The reports also suggested that the government would nix legislation to override the Supreme Court and immunity for Netanyahu.
However, Labor reportedly rejected these offers after serious consideration.
Additionally, reports indicated that Likud negotiators looked into the possibility of bringing in some members of the Blue and White Party into the coalition. MKs were offered a range of portfolios from Defense and Finance, to Justice, Culture and Communications. Others were also offered future appointments as ambassadors or favorable legislation for specific MKs such as addressing Druze concerns over the nation-state law or speeding up the immigration of Ethiopia’s Falash Mura community.
In the hours before the vote to dissolve parliament, reports also surfaced of a compromise deal between Lieberman and the ultra-Orthodox parties whereas the military draft bill would get a first reading and afterwards would proceed for a second and third reading by “mutual consent.”
Likud purportedly pressured the ultra-Orthodox parties to back the proposal or risk going back to the original military draft law, which would mean thousands of a ultra-Orthodox men would be liable to be drafted.
In the end, all the negotiations and proposals were rejected.
In his comments following the dissolution, Netanyahu declared that Likud “will run a sharp and clear election campaign, and we will win.” (JNS.org)
Left to Right: Borough President James Oddo; Congressman Max Rose; COJO-SI CEO and Executive Vice-President Scott Maurer; District Attorney Michael McMahon; COJO-SI President Mendy Mirocznik; Councilman Joe Borelli; and Assemblyman Mike Reilly.
Less than a week after hate speech was written on a yeshiva wall in Meiers Corners, nearly 100 Staten Islanders, including religious and community leaders, gathered at a unity rally on Tuesday to denounce hate and encourage peace and kindness.
The unity rally was organized by Staten Island District Attorney Michael E. McMahon and his Hate Crimes Task Force which is Co-Chaired by Scott Maurer, the CEO and Executive Vice-President of the Staten Island Council of Jewish Organizations. The press-conference was held at the Chabad of Staten Island on Tuesday.
The graffiti was discovered on the side of the building Thursday morning, the eve of Lag B’Omer, a Jewish holiday celebrating unity and freedom from persecution.
The words, “Synagogue of Satan,” were written on the Chabad of Staten Island, while across the street, the letters “SOS” were written on the Yeshiva Zichron Paltiel of Staten Island, referencing the aforementioned phrase.
Residents and members of the Jewish community were joined by local elected officials, NYPD Assistant Chief Kenneth Corey, borough commander of Staten Island, and the Staten Island Hate Crimes Task Force.
Rabbi Moshe Katzman told the crowd that when he first learned of the graffiti on Thursday morning, he wanted to keep the vandalism quiet, and not make it a big deal. After people started to reach out to him, and photos of the hate speech on social media, he made the decision to use this hateful crime as a way to spread kindness. “Every act of evil, we need to redouble our acts of kindness,” Rabbi Moshe Katzman said. “And this is the only way we can continue in life. “Rep. Max Rose, District Attorney Michael McMahon, Borough President James Oddo, Assemblymembers Michael Cusick, Nicole Malliotakis, and Michael Reilly, and Councilmembers Joseph Borelli and Steve Matteo, spoke at the unity rally as well as COJO CEO and Executive Vice-President Scott Maurer to encourage kindness and push back against hate.
At the event Tuesday morning on Harold Street, officials themselves grabbed paint rollers and removed a message of hate written on the side of the Chabad of Staten Island. “We’re taking a stand for light, because only light can defeat darkness,” District Attorney Michael McMahon said. “We’re taking a stand for love, because only love can defeat hate. “Officials from the NYPD were also on hand to discuss the crimes.
“Someone out there knows who perpetrated this crime,” NYPD Assistant Chief and Staten Island Borough Commander Ken Corey said. “Tell us. Help us keep you safe. “There has been a rise in anti-Semitic crimes, and there have been calls to address the issue before it gets any uglier.
Mendy Mirocznik, president of the Staten Island Council of Jewish Organization thanked District Attorney Michael McMahon for putting together this important press-conference. “In these trying times the key is communication and confidence building.” Mirocznik added, “We at COJO value the direct line of communication that we have with District Attorney McMahon, Chief Kenneth Corey and members of the broader Staten Island community. We at COJO appreciate that both District Attorney McMahon and Chief Corey are taking a strong vigilant stand against hate and anti-Semitism and these measures are giving the residents of Staten Island the fortitude and courage not to surrender to fear and hate. Our prayer is that we should no longer know of the evil of anti-Semitism, hate and bigotry.”
Avigdor Liberman, left, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his swearing-in ceremony on May 30, 2016–Photo Credit: Haim Zach/GPO
Netanyahu thinks that Liberman may respond to pressure from the U.S., Israeli officials say.
In a brief speech to the press on Monday at the Knesset, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned against “unnecessary elections” and called for all parties to act responsibly. To bolster his argument, he noted that President Donald Trump himself had expressed his hopes that a coalition would be formed, according to a World Israel News report.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is pictured hear with Gilad Erdan, the Minister of Public Security & Strategic Affairs in a group shot with the Shaldag unit of the Israel Defense Forces. It is an elite Israeli Air Force commando unit and one of the main Israeli special forces units. Photo Credit: Israel GPO
NBC News reported that Netanyahu delivered a primetime statement on Monday calling on his potential partners to put “the good of the nation above every other interest” in order to avoid sending the country once again to “expensive, wasteful” elections. He placed the blame on Israel Beitenu chairman Avigdor Liberman for creating the crisis, but said he was hopeful his efforts to salvage a compromise in the next 48 hours would succeed.
Netanyahu stated Sunday night that he had proposed a solution in the last effort to prevent elections, as was reported by TPS. “I am now making a final effort to establish a right-wing government and to prevent unnecessary elections. I gave the partners a proposal for a solution. It is based on the principles established by the army and on the data that the army has compiled – there is no reason to reject this. I’m going to invite all party leaders tonight, I want to talk to them and try together to prevent unnecessary elections,” he stated.
A strong U.S.-Israel relationship carries weight with the Israeli public as was previously proven. According to Maariv, Netanyahu wants members of the Trump administration to step in and pressure Liberman to join the coalition.
Liberman, thus far has stubbornly refused to do so. Though Netanyahu’s Likud party increased its power to 35 seats in parliament in the April 9 vote, it can’t muster a 61-seat majority without Lieberman’s party. WIN reported that failure to form a government means the country would again go to elections, an unheard-of event in Israel.
The crisis ostensibly revolves around Lieberman’s insistence that current legislation mandating that young ultra-Orthodox men be drafted into the military goes through the Knesset voting process without a single modification or alteration to the bill, as was reported by World Israel News.
Haredi, or Orthodox parties consider conscription a taboo, fearing that military service will lead to immersion in secularism. Although exemptions have led to widespread resentment among non-religious Israelis, the haredi parties insist they stay in place.
Tazpit Press Service reported that the Shas and United Torah Judaism parties, with 16 seats, have made concessions regarding the draft law, but are unwilling to adopt the formula that Liberman is demanding.
The Likud stated that the Moetzet Gedolei Ha-Torah, its supreme leadership committee, has accepted Netanyahu’s proposal regarding the IDF draft law.
“The draft law has become a symbol and we will not capitulate on our symbols,” Liberman defiantly said, vowing to press for new elections if his demands are not met.
NBC News reported that Netanyahu’s Likud party has traditionally had an alliance with Orthodox and nationalist parties. But Liberman, a former top Netanyahu aide, is a wild card. Though stanchly nationalist, he also champions a secular agenda aimed toward his political base of immigrants from the former Soviet Union, according to the NBC News report.
“I will not be a partner to a Halachic state,” he said, using the word for Jewish law.
However, Israeli officials told Maariv that Netanyahu thinks the Trump card may work with Liberman, who will be asked to join the government out of “national responsibility.”
On Monday, Trump tweeted his hopes “things will work out with Israel’s coalition formation and Bibi and I can continue to make the alliance between America and Israel stronger than ever. A lot more to do!”
Netanyahu referred to Trump’s tweet in a statement that was broadcasted live on all the television channels in Israel, according to Axios.com. He thanked the US leader for his tweet and said: “Trump is right – we still have a lot of work to do.”
Netanyahu is one of Trump’s main allies around the world. During the last election in Israel, Trump intervened in favor of Netanyahu and Netanyahu used Trump in his TV ads and on billboards around Israel, as was reported by Axios.
Two weeks before the election, Trump recognized the Golan Heights as part of Israel. This decision was a huge win for Netanyahu and had an influence on Israeli public opinion.
On the Israeli political front, World Israel News reported that the Likud has assailed Liberman in recent days for undermining the people’s will for a right-wing government and accused him of acting out of personal spite for Netanyahu. The prime minister himself said Lieberman would be fully responsible for dragging the country into a major crisis and that his people have vowed to aggressively go after Lieberman’s core supporters in response.
But the mercurial Liberman seems to be holding his ground, according to the WIN report.
“The only motivation of Israel Beiteinu is to stand by our principles and our commitments,” he said in a Facebook post. “We are not looking to topple Netanyahu and are not looking for an alternative candidate, but we will not compromise.”
New Right party officials say they’re ready for a second go if the country goes to unprecedented back-to-back elections, according to a WIN report. The party narrowly failed to meet the minimum required threshold by about 1,400 votes in the last elections held in April.
When a party doesn’t pass the electoral threshold all of its votes are discounted. In the New Right’s case it cost Israel’s right-wing bloc over 138,000 votes, which went up in smoke when the party failed to make it into the Knesset, as was reported by World Israel News.
But now it appears the party may get a second chance. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has encountered unexpected difficulties in forming a government coalition. In mid-May, he requested a two-week extension. It expires on Wednesday night.
Netanyahu’s best efforts have not been able to bring together coalition partners who stand at opposite ends of the debate over the conscription law.
On Monday, the Likud brought a motion to dissolve the Knesset, a first-step toward heading to new elections, according to the World Israel News report.
The New Right was founded by Education Minister Naftali Bennett and Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked. It’s not clear if Shaked will run again.
According to party officials, “The party will run in the elections and make connections, with Shaked or without her.”
The World Israel News report observed that this may be a disadvantage for the New Right as Shaked is popular, a fact known to the party and indicated by the fact that her name came first on campaign posters despite Bennett being the party’s leading figure.
Prior to the sudden possibility of new elections, it appeared that Bennett would move on from politics or at least take a long hiatus.
At the International Bible Competition on May 9, during his final speech as education minister at an official event, Bennett said “You try as long as you can, don’t give up as long as there’s any chance. Once you’re hit – get up, learn from your mistakes and move on. I did the best I could. There’s so much work yet to be done, and people at least as good as me to do it. Wherever I’ll be, I’ll never stop giving everything I can for the Israeli people.”
A Monday poll published by the Maariv newspaper shows that the right would gain further power if elections were held today, as was reported by TPS. Netanyahu’s Likud would maintain its 35 seats, Benny Gantz’s Blue and White party, the main opposition party, would lose one seat and get 34 mandates, and the right-wing parties in total would get 68 seats, three more than their current 65 seats.
On Tuesday, INN reported that the special committee for the bill to dissolve the Knesset approved the motion for second and third reading. On Wednesday, at noon, the Knesset will begin its deliberations on the bill.
Meanwhile, a source in the Likud who has been involved in the negotiations told Channel 13 News in Israel that if an agreement is reached at the last minute to form a coalition then National Union chairman Bezalel Smotrich would have to be given the justice portfolio.
The official stated that Smotrich would be made Justice Minister despite Prime Minister Netanyahu’s preference to give the portfolio to Likud MK Yariv Levin due to the lack of time before tomorrow’s deadline to form the coalition, as was reported by Israel National News.
Also on Tuesday, INN reported that Netanyahu had met with Supreme Court Chief Justice Esther Hayut and her deputy Hanan Meltzer at the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem, at his request.
Chief Justice Hayut and Deputy Chief Justice Meltzer stressed the importance of maintaining the independence of the judicial authority. Prime Minister Netanyahu emphasized the need for balance between the branches of government.
INN reported that at the end of the meeting, Netanyahu’s office issued a statement saying, “The participants noted the importance of substantive and respectful dialogue between the branches of government.”
In her speech, Hayut claimed that Netanyahu did not address the issues he himself committed to in his inaugural address to the Supreme Court, in which he emphasized the need for a strong and independent judicial system.
President Donald Trump says he would be fine with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe serving as a mediator between the United States and Iran. Photo Credit–Shealah Craighead–White House photo
President Donald Trump says he would be fine with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe serving as a mediator between the United States and Iran.
“The prime minister has already spoken to me about that,” Trump said in response to a question from VOA.” And I do believe that Iran would like to talk and if they’d like to talk we’d like to talk also. We’ll see what happens. But I know for a fact that the prime minister is very close with the leadership of Iran.”
Trump spoke as he and Abe opened a meeting Monday at the Japanese state guest house.
U.S.–Iran tensions escalated in recent weeks as Trump ended waivers that had allowed some of Iran’s biggest oil buyers to continue making purchases despite new U.S. sanctions, and as he increased the U.S. military presence in the Gulf in response to what he said were Iranian threats.
Trump and Abe are scheduled to hold a news conference Monday afternoon after their talks that were to include military and trade matters.
No quick breakthrough on trade is expected although both leaders have expressed a desire for a bilateral trade pact after Trump pulled the United States out of the comprehensive 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership, which Tokyo had spearheaded with Washington under Trump’s predecessor, Barack Obama.
Trump said there would be an announcement on trade coming probably in August “that will be very good for both countries,” and reiterated his desire to see a better trade balance between them.
Earlier Monday, Trump became the first foreign leader to meet with Emperor Naruhito, who ascended to the throne May 1.
Trump and first lady Melania Trump took part in an elaborate welcoming ceremony at the Imperial Palace.
The U.S. delegation was greeted at the palace by several dozen elementary schoolchildren waving Japanese and American flags. A military band played the U.S. “Star Spangled Banner” and Kimigayo anthems.
The emperor is hosting an imperial banquet at the palace Monday night.
On Sunday, Trump and National Security Advisor John Bolton were publicly at odds about the seriousness of the threat currently posed by North Korea.
In a Sunday morning tweet from Tokyo, Trump issued a retort to Bolton who the previous day here had told reporters that there was “no doubt” North Korea’s recent test firing of short-range ballistic missiles violated a United Nations resolution.
Bolton’s remark was the first by a U.S. official describing the North Korean launches as a violation of U.N. resolutions.
“North Korea fired off some small weapons which disturbed some of my people and others, but not me,” said Trump in his tweet.
Trump’s tweet on North Korea caused confusion and consternation, not only within the administration but also among America’s allies in the region, acknowledged senior White House officials traveling with the president
Some analysts say the missile launches are indeed a concern.
Felix Klein’s about-face came soon after government spokesman Steffen Seibert held a press conference in which he said, “The state must see to it that the free exercise of religion is possible for all… and that anyone can go anywhere in our country in full security wearing a kippa.”
Top anti-Semitism czar calls on “all citizens” to wear the skullcap in solidarity with Jewish community.
Germany’s anti-Semitism commissioner changed his stance Monday on the wearing of skullcaps in public after an outcry by Jewish and non-Jewish public officials against his earlier statement that he didn’t recommend that Jews do so everywhere in Germany as it wasn’t safe.
Felix Klein’s about-face came soon after government spokesman Steffen Seibert held a press conference in which he said, “The state must see to it that the free exercise of religion is possible for all… and that anyone can go anywhere in our country in full security wearing a kippa.”
The statement sets a challenge for Germany’s police force, as the annual Al-Quds (Jerusalem) rally is taking place in Berlin on Saturday. The anti-Israel hatefest was attended by a higher-than-usual 1,600 people last year calling for Israel’s demise.
The Jewish community is planning a counter-demonstration. They should bring their skullcaps, Klein said.
“I call on all citizens of Berlin and across Germany to wear the kippa next Saturday if there are new, intolerable attacks targeting Israel and Jews on the occasion of al-Quds day in Berlin,” he said.
Leading German newspaper Bild published a cut-out skullcap on its front page on Monday, urging citizens to wear it in solidarity with the Jewish community. It was the popular daily’s reaction to Klein’s original warning last week in which he said that he “cannot recommend” that Jews wear the identifying headgear “at all times” and in all places in the country.
The paper’s editor-in-chief, Julian Reichelt, wrote that if Jews couldn’t wear a skullcap, “we have failed in the face of our history.”
“If even one person in our country cannot wear the kippa without putting themselves in danger, then the only answer must be that we all wear the kippa,” he added. “The kippa belongs to Germany!”
There has been a noticeable rise in anti-Semitic offenses in Germany, with violent attacks up over 60 percent in 2018 according to the country’s police statistics. More than 1,600 anti-Jewish incidents were recorded, with 62 physical attacks leaving 43 people injured.
In an interview Monday on CNN, German Chancellor Angela Merkel admitted that her government has not been able to fully cope with the problem.
“We have always had a certain number of anti-Semites amongst us,” she said. “Unfortunately, today there is not a single synagogue, not a single day care center for Jewish children, not a single school for Jewish children that does not need to be guarded by German policemen.”
Her solution is educating Germany’s youth on the supreme values of human rights, democracy, sensitivity and tolerance.
Mayor Bill de Blasio tried to defend his use of taxpayer money to fund his NYPD security detail while traveling for his bid for presidency. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Mayor Bill de Blasio tried to defend his use of taxpayer money to fund his NYPD security detail while traveling for his bid for presidency.
“I’m obviously in a high-profile situation here,” de Blasio said on WNYC radio on Friday. The New York City mayor announced his bid for presidency earlier this month. He joins a large pool of democrats already in the running, becoming the 24th candidate. He is currently polling at less than 1 percent among the Democratic contenders, however, and has had as little as eight people attend his out-of-state campaign events. After he announced he will be running for 2020, he was ridiculed by local elected officials, late night talk show hosts, residents and President Donald Trump. His bid is considered to be a long shot.
Last week, de Blasio received the distinction of ‘most disliked candidate’. He earned the highest negative rating among all the other Democratic contenders, as an overwhelming 45 percent of American voters said they don’t like him, according to a Quinnipiac University poll. Only about 8 percent of voters across the parties said they like him. “He’s been hammered by the late-night talk shows and I don’t think you can underestimate those shows as far as the impact they have on the how people feel about politicians,” said Quinnipiac analyst Tim Malloy.
As reported by the NY Post, in de Blasio’s past trips to early primary states, the mayor brought along four members of his official NYPD security team. In a recent interview with WNYC radio, host Brian Lehrer asked Mayor de Blasio to confirm that “New York City taxpayers are footing the bill for security on your out-of-town campaign trips rather than your campaign paying for that?”
De Blasio did his best to avoid answering the query. “Any question like that, and there’s a reason I say this, Brian, NYPD needs to address all the question around security. Anything that you ask has ramifications for detailing what kind of security I have and don’t have,” he responded. “Everything we do is with the understanding that we’re trying to do things economical and smart,” he added.
Lehrer did not back down. “Why not have the campaign pay for campaign security and maybe fully fund the libraries?” he pressed on, referring to the mayor’s plan to cut $11 million in funding for NYC’s library system.
“It’s a very, very small amount of money. It’s not anywhere near what we’re talking about for libraries,” responded the mayor.
On Thursday May 23rd, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced that it has launched an environmental review process of options to replace the rundown PABT in Times Square, which is known as the busiest bus terminal in America. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
The Big Apple’s dilapidated Port Authority bus terminal in Times Square may finally be getting its much needed overhaul. On Thursday May 23rd, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced that it has launched an environmental review process of options to replace the rundown PABT in Times Square, which is known as the busiest bus terminal in America.
As reported by the NY Post, Port Authority officials have revealed that they are considering three options. For now, the most popular choice is to entirely rebuild the terminal where it stands at West 42nd Street and Eighth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan. Another option is to move some or all of the terminal’s bus traffic a few blocks south to the expansive Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, close to the entrance to the Lincoln Tunnel. As per Politico, the convention hall’s entire lower level could be converted into an underground bus terminal.
The third option being mulled is a mix of the two other possibilities. Longer-haul buses would run out of out of the Javits Center, and the current PABT would be renovating rather than completely rebuilt. Under this plan, the current PABT would be utilized almost exclusively for commuters going to and from New Jersey, thereby lessening the congestion there.
The endeavors are projected to cost billions of dollars, and take until the year 2030. Public hearings to discuss the projects will be held in July and September.
Today the bus terminal, built in the 1950s, is frequently underwhelming with leaky ceilings, broken air conditioners, and overall filthy conditions. The center handles over 250,000 trips each weekday, and there were approximately 64.8 million passengers commuting to and from the terminal in 2017, as per the MTA. The number of daily passengers stopping there is slated to increase to 337,000 by 2040. “We’re entering into this without any preferred option. We don’t have a site, we don’t have a design, we don’t know for sure how big this thing will be,” said Andrew Lynn, the authority’s director of planning and regional development, when the talks first began in 2017. “We don’t have a schedule; we don’t have a budget yet. We’re really starting over.”
The topic of renovating the bus terminal is by no means a new notion. The Port Authority has long deliberated ways to improve the PABT, but talks always fell through thanks to the inability for of the bi-state agency to agree on a solution.
“We are committed to building the replacement bus terminal and to do so in full consultation with the community, with elected officials in both New York and New Jersey, and with all stakeholders,” said Port Authority executive director Richard Cotton, in a statement on Thursday.
Last Thursday afternoon, an Uber driver reportedly made an obscene measles-related comment to a 23-year old female passenger, who was dressed in traditional Chassidic garb. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
In a continuing campaign against Chasidic Jews, yet another Williamsburg resident found themselves the focus of harassment linked with the disreputable measles outbreak. Last Thursday afternoon, an Uber driver reportedly made an obscene measles-related comment to a 23-year old female passenger, who was dressed in traditional Chassidic garb.
The victim and her husband, who chose to be identified only by their last name, Krausz, said the incident took place close to 5:30 in the afternoon. Mr. Krausz called an Uber for his wife, so that she could pick up their son from a relative’s house. The driver was given a pickup location of Kent Avenue and Wallabout Street. As reported by VIN News, as Mrs. Krausz entered the Uber, the driver blatantly remarked “You are of those [obscenity] measles people.”
Mrs. Krausz relates, “At first, when I heard the statement, I wasn’t sure who he was talking to.” Mrs. Krausz, her husband and their children are all vaccinated. Mr. Krausz too heard the obscenity over the phone, and he stayed on the call until his wife arrived at her destination, as he was undoubtedly anxious and concerned about her safety.
The driver, identified on the Uber app as Anthony, made no further negative comments during the ride. Still, Mrs. Krausz said that the half mile trip took nearly twice as long as usual. She said it seemed to her as though the driver was intentionally slowing down in an effort to miss every traffic light.
Though rightfully shaken by the incident, Mrs. Krausz tried to downplay it and give the driver the benefit of a doubt. “Maybe the driver was having a hard day,” said Mrs. Krausz. “And there is a lot of misinformation out there about Chasidim and vaccinations.
Mr. Krausz reported the incident and also contacted Yossi Gestetner of the Orthodox Jewish Public Affairs Council. Gestetner shared the story on Twitter, tagging Uber in his tweet. His efforts drew responses from the company and the TLC, who have both launched investigations into the occurrence. Last week, OJPAC also took out a billboard in Times Square to raise awareness about the high vaccination rate in the Chasidic community, hoping to counter the overwhelming misinformation and all the negative attention. The billboard, located above Ripley’s Believe it or Not!, simply states, “96% Hasidim Vaccinate. Do you?”
Mayor Bill de Blasio took a firm stand supporting the Jewish community. “Don’t ever accept bigotry like this. You have your rights and your city has your back. Thank you to @NYCTaxi for your swift action in investigating this incident. Anti-Semitism has no home in this town,” he tweeted in response to the incident.
Maybe it was Queens itself, but after abandoning plans to build a headquarters in Long Island City, Amazon is now said to be contemplating coming to the Big Apple after all. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Maybe it was Queens itself, but after abandoning plans to build a headquarters in Long Island City, Amazon is now said to be contemplating coming to the Big Apple after all.
The mammoth company is now reported to be searching for office space on Manhattan’s West Side. “The tech giant has been in talks with owners of two shiny new skyscrapers located just one block west of Penn Station — the newly built One Manhattan West and its soon-to-be sister project, Two Manhattan West,” sources told The New York Post. “The online retailer is seeking “at least 100,000 square feet or much more” — just to start, one well-placed source said.”
Rumor has it that Amazon personnel have their eye on a pair of office buildings situated just west of Penn Station: One Manhattan West and Two Manhattan West. The tech giant is said to be looking for something in excess of 100,000 square feet.
“That footprint is significantly smaller than the 4 million to 8 million square feet of space Amazon planned to build out for its HQ2 project,” Slate magazine has reported. “But the fact that the company is still planning to grow its New York presence without a large, specially crafted subsidy package seems to prove the basic point many of the deal’s critics made, which is that major cities with large pools of business and engineering talent do not need to stoop to corporate welfare in order to attract major tech companies, which tend to go where they can find enough employees.”
In point of fact, midtown was the first area considered when Amazon said it was searching for New York real estate. “But the tech giant went for Long Island City, where it was planning to build a 4 million square foot campus around Anable Basin,” reported ny.curbed.com. “The backlash was swift and loud, and ultimately, Amazon pulled out of the deal.
There is, the web site pointed out, “no indication that Amazon’s search for New York office space will be on par with what it had planned for HQ2: a hub for 25,000 employees, along with investments in public infrastructure and new schools, that came with the promise of billions of dollars in subsidies.”
Mayor Bill de Blasio, whose campaign for the Democratic nomination for president is widely considered a joke, reportedly commented that he wouldn’t help Amazon expand its footprint in New York City. As a recent press conference, he noted, “It doesn’t surprise me at all but again, they’re going to have to do it on their own.”
A group of citizens worried over changes to their neighborhood is protesting a lobbyist’s attempt to develop real estate in the East Village. The local complain that such a move would mar and maybe even ruin the community’s character. Photo Credit: Wikipedia
A group of citizens worried over changes to their neighborhood is protesting a lobbyist’s attempt to develop real estate in the East Village. The local complain that such a move would mar and maybe even ruin the community’s character.
At issue: Real Estate Equities Corporation’s intention plans to get changes to zoning that would allow it to construct a 10-story, 175-foot-tall office tower at 3 St. Mark’s Place.
“To move forward with the plan, which would mean demolishing the now-shuttered punk rock haven, the Continental, as well as a neighboring building erected in the 19th century, the developer has enlisted the lobbying firm of Jim Capalino, a fundraiser for Mayor de Blasio and a player in several controversial land deals downtown,” New York Daily News reported.
“The mayor’s prodigious fundraiser, lobbyist Jim Capalino, is seeking favors from City Hall for his clients to lift restrictions and facilitate inappropriate development in the East Village,” Andrew Berman, executive director of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation told the Daily News. “The number of projects this lobbying firm has gotten approvals for in this neighborhood is mind-boggling… Each new favor builds upon the next. First he got permission for an upzoning south of Union Square for an oversized ‘tech hub.’ Now he’s seeking air rights transfers to continue the spread of ‘Silicon Alley’ to St. Mark’s Place. The mayor’s pay-to-play practices are utterly transforming this neighborhood.”
The Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation addressed the issue on its web site, noting: “From the 14th Street Tech Hub upzoning to multiple towers up to 1,000 ft. tall that sidestepped zoning approvals, from a huge new hotel on East 11th Street for which five “landmark-eligible” buildings were demolished without objection by the City to lifting a deed restriction allowing housing for seniors with AIDS to become luxury condos, Capalino+Company has been one of the most successful lobbyists in New York City.”
Particularly in the East Village/Lower East Side, the group continued, “even as its principal has been one of the Mayor’s most prodigious fundraisers. As reported in today’s Daily News, this pattern of getting (or avoiding the need for) approvals from the City while supporting the Mayor’s fundraising activities is breathtaking in its scope. In this one community board, this lobbyist is shepherding through projects dramatically transforming the character of this neighborhood.”
The group’s statement concluded, “Capalino+Co. are seeking to build upon that success with approval of an air rights transfer on St. Marks Place that would allow a planned ‘boutique’ office tower to grow 20% larger than zoning normally allows. With the approval they also recently secured for the “Tech Hub” upzoning on 14th Street from the Mayor and City Council last year, the transformation of the area south of Union Square into an extension of ‘Silicon Alley’ and Midtown South is in full swing… Community Board #3 Manhattan has already opposed the transfer, as have State Senator Brad Hoylman and Assemblymember Deborah Glick. Borough President Gale Brewer, the Landmarks Preservation Commission, the City Planning Commission, and ultimately City Councilmember Carlina Rivera and the City Council will vote upon and decide whether or not this latest project is approved.”
