Assemblymember Lavine Condemns Anti-Israel Legislation

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Assemblymember Charles Lavine (D-North Shore) is issuing a statement in response to the introduction of a bill in the New York State Assembly that makes it unlawful for American nonprofits to support Israel. The bill was introduced by Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani (Queens) with Sarahana Shresta (Kingston), Phara Souffrant Forrest (Brooklyn), and Marcela Mitaynes (Brooklyn) as cosponsors. The bill was introduced in the Senate by Jabari Brisport (Brooklyn) and is cosponsored by Kristen Gonzalez (Queens). These people are all supported by the so-called Democratic Socialists of America.

The statement by Lavine, who serves as President of the National Association of Jewish Legislators of New York, follows:

Established in 1789 by President George Washington, our United States Department of State is responsible for foreign policy and foreign relations. Thomas Jefferson served as our first Secretary of State.

It is in the best interests of the American people that the Department of State, under the able leadership of President Joseph Biden and Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, address any issues relating to the State of Israel.

Those who oppose the existence of the Jewish State have introduced a bill in our State Assembly that seeks to interfere with the Department of State’s efforts to lessen tensions in the Middle East.

These forces have repeatedly attempted to foment anti-Israeli sentiment in the United States. The bill in question, which Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart Cousins strongly oppose, will never become law and is yet another crude example of demagoguery.

At a time when anti-Semitism has reached epidemic dimensions, the bill serves no legitimate purpose.

Anti-Israeli legislative gestures will only serve to impair American efforts for peace in the region.

I would advise the sponsors of the bill to use their good offices to lessen tensions instead of exacerbating conflict.

I urge the sponsors to heed Prime Minister Golda Meir’s penetrating observation that “There will be peace in the Middle East when the Arabs love their children more than they hate Israel.”

America must continue to stand with and support our brothers and sisters in Israel, the only democracy in the Middle East.

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Assemblymember Charles Lavine represents New York’s 13th Assembly District in Nassau County. He presently serves as Chair of the Judiciary Committee and is a member of the Committee on Codes, Ethics and Guidance, Rules and Insurance. Lavine previously served as Chair of the Election Law Committee, Chair of the Committee on Ethics and Guidance, co-Chair of the New York State Legislative Ethics Commission and as Chair of the bipartisan Taskforce that produced the Assembly Speaker’s Policy on Sexual Harassment, Retaliation and Discrimination.