LI Reps Call For Investigation Into Anti-Semitic Attacks

Long Island's delegation of Congressional representatives have pledged to fight anti-Semitism in the area, as well as calling on the nation's security services to investigate whether the recent spate of anti-Semitic attacks in the area could have been spurred on by foreign adversaries.

At a press conference this morning, Representatives Peter King, Kathleen Rice, Thomas Suozzi, Lee Zeldin and Gregory Meeks came together to condemn the anti-Semitic attacks that have plagued the area over the last few weeks. The group pledged to help fight anti-Semitism in the area through more federal funding for security and hate crime investigations. They were also joined by many local political and religious leaders.

The group also sent a letter to the heads of the country's security agencies, asking them to investigate whether foreign adversaries were using social media to sow unrest here and encourage the attacks.

“The vicious attack in Monsey, and the alarming spike in anti-Semitic violence we have seen over the past several weeks, has put all of us on edge,” said Rice. “I gathered federal, local, and state officials today to stand in solidarity with the Jewish community and provide reassurance that we are working at every level of government to stop these bigoted acts of violence. We are New Yorkers, and an attack on one religious, racial or ethnic group is an attack on all of us. We will not tolerate these hateful acts.”

As part of their response, the representatives pledged to fight for programs that address anti-Semitic violence. They include:

• Increasing funding for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, which helps organizations secure their facilities against a potential terrorist attack.
• Increasing federal funding for state and local hate crimes investigations and prosecutions.
• Increasing funding for the Office of Targeted Violence and Terrorism prevention at the Department of Homeland Security.
• Passing the Never Again Education Act, a bipartisan bill to expand Holocaust education training and resources for teachers across the country.

“Anti-Semitism is an evil which can never be tolerated,” said King. “Americans of all religions, ethnic groups and political parties must stand in solidarity against any and all anti-Semitic words and deeds.”

In addition, the group sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, CIA Director Gina Haspel, acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf and FBI Director Christopher Wray, urging them to investigate the attacks.

"We are requesting that your offices specifically investigate potential state sponsored campaigns by our foreign adversaries to sow civil unrest in America using social media disinformation campaigns, corruption and foreign actors," the letter reads. "The power of social media provides nefarious actors the ability to exploit ignorance and spread hate, in an effort to undermine national unity for their strategic interest. In addition to tanks, missiles and soldiers, we must be conscious of our adversaries’ efforts to undermine our nation using cyberspace, economic systems and corruption."

The call from the representatives comes after a spate of hate crimes targeting Jewish residents in New York and the surrounding area. The most recently was the Hanukkah-night stabbing in Monsey that injured five people. There was also the mid-December shooting of a kosher grocery store in Jersey City that left six dead, as well as a rash of other anti-Semitic crimes in Brooklyn.

“Hanukkah 2019 in New York will be remembered for a sick amount of violent anti-Semitic attacks in and around New York City,” said Zeldin. “From colleges to Congress to Hanukkah parties and synagogues, anti-Semitism is on the rise and on full display in many ugly forms. ALL elected and community leaders need to step up to confront and crush this threat.”