If there was any irony in that statement — said while Ben-Gvir sat on the top floor of the Wall Street Grill, a tiny kosher restaurant in Manhattan’s Financial District — he didn’t allude to it. And though he isn’t facing arrest while in the United States, this trip has been far from a smooth one for the most prominent figure on Israel’s far Right.
Ben-Gvir landed in Florida on Monday, and came to New York City via an appearance at the Jewish society Shabtai at Yale University, where hundreds demonstrated against him and briefly set up a protest encampment. The appearance at Shabtai stirred controversy within and outside the group, and at least one synagogue has canceled a planned Ben-Gvir appearance this weekend.
Protests greet Ben-Gvir
In Manhattan, UnXeptable, the Israel-American anti-Netanyahu protest group, drew a lineup of local Jewish politicians and activists to speak out against him in earshot of the space where he spoke. The exact location of his talk, also hosted by Shabtai, wasn’t sent out to confirmed attendees until about two hours before it was set to begin.
An illustration US President Donald Trump and the Gaza Strip (credit: REUTERS, SHUTTERSTOCK)
If the intention was to avoid protesters, it didn’t work. Minutes into his remarks, a man barged in and yelled, “Get the f*** out of New York, Itamar!” proceeding to compare him to a Nazi before being removed by security.
Later, the first question from the audience came from Guy Benjamin, a former Israeli Air Force pilot who told Ben-Gvir he left Israel “because of people like you, honestly” — calling Ben-Gvir a “promoter of racism” and criticizing him for opposing an agreement to free the Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.
That, in turn, prompted a rejoinder from Phillip Jacobs, a Ben-Gvir supporter, who interrupted Benjamin and told him, “Knock it off, you’re insulting him.”
Even the person who introduced Ben-Gvir, Shabtai board member Nava Greenfield, said that when she read about his record, “not a single position spoke to me, and many truly upset me.” She went on to defend Shabtai’s mission of providing a forum for a diversity of political views.
If anything, Ben-Gvir seemed energized by the protests, even as he simultaneously promoted his hardline record while endeavoring to convince his audience that he is no longer the extremist he once was.
A disciple of the late extremist Rabbi Meir Kahane, Ben-Gvir has in the past been convicted of incitement to racism, and charged with other crimes. Speaking to the New York audience, Ben-Gvir said he had grown.
“That’s one of the reasons I’m here in the United States: Too often, my name is mentioned in all kinds of contexts that are either not true or are from the past,” he said. “I’ve done many things that always began from, and came to, one thing: love of Israel.”
At another point, when Tablet journalist Liel Leibovitz, who was interviewing Ben-Gvir, quoted back his previous criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the minister, age 48, responded, “First of all, decades have passed. You’re bringing up things from my past when I was 17, 18, 23 and 25.”
Ben-Gvir said he did not agree with everything Kahane said. “When I was young, I thought we’d have to expel all of the Arabs, and now I think the reality is more complex,” he said.
But he still praised Kahane, who was born and raised in New York, and founded the extremist Jewish Defense League here before moving to Israel and becoming a politician. His party was shunned by other politicians, and later banned from Israel’s parliament for racism.
“Whoever reads Rabbi Kahane, and learns about Rabbi Kahane, sees one very, very strong thing from him: a great love of Israel,” Ben-Gvir said, adding later, “You can’t take from Rabbi Kahane what he did here with the Jewish Defense League, and the fact that he acted and was murdered because he’s a Jew who acted for the state of Israel.”
And Ben-Gvir didn’t shy away from his record. Among the policies he touted:
Making conditions harsher in Israel’s security prisons (before he took control, he said, “The terrorists had a summer camp.”).
Encouraging civilian gun ownership in Israel — he said the number of annual civilian firearm permits issued by the Israeli government has grown from 8,000 to 200,000.
Promoting Jewish prayer on the Temple Mount, a longtime cause of elements of Israel’s religious right (“Did you know that there’s apartheid against Jews?”). He drew applause after describing how now, Jews are allowed to pray at the holy site, which is also revered by Muslims and has long been a flashpoint of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
And Ben-Gvir said another reason he was in the United States was to promote President Donald Trump’s plan for Gaza — to depopulate the enclave of Palestinians and have the United States take it over. He has previously boasted about scuttling deals to end the war and release the remaining hostages. He also called for food warehouses in Gaza to be bombed and power generators there to be shut off.
“I want more and more and more activism,” he said. “I want us to implement the Trump plan. I want a more forceful war.”
(On Thursday, a State Department spokesperson said the idea of bombing food supplies is “in complete contradiction” to US aims.)
Those policies, and more, were what brought a small crowd of American and Israeli Jews to protest outside the restaurant, along with a roster of speakers including Rep. Jerry Nadler, the Manhattan Jewish Democrat; Comptroller Brad Lander, who is running for mayor; Rabbis Jill Jacobs, Sharon Kleinbaum and Josh Weinberg, and activist Offir Gutelzon.
Protesters held Israeli flags in addition to signs with a red circle and dash over Ben-Gvir’s face. One homemade sign read, “Fascism has never been good for the Jews.” They chanted “Shame!” as well as “Criminal” in Hebrew.
“The best thing we can do to stand up both for Israeli democracy and for New York values is to shun Itamar Ben-Gvir,” Lander said in an interview. “He is committing human rights violation after human rights violation and its completely inconsistent both with the values of a Jewish and democratic Israel and with the values of New York City, so we’re saying, get out of our city.”
Jacobs, who heads the liberal rabbinic group T’ruah, said that if given the chance to confront Ben-Gvir, she would say, “You claim to be a religious person, and you should know redeeming captives is one of the most important Jewish commandments, and you are boasting about violating it.”
In the room with Ben-Gvir were some people who agreed with his vision.
“He could use a little bit of a filter, but 90% of what he says, in the end, is correct,” said Phillip Jacobs. He was the attendee who later accused another audience member, Guy Benjamin, of “insulting” Ben-Gvir.
Ben-Gvir did not seem to mind Benjamin — and in fact became visibly animated when responding to his criticisms. At the end of his talk, he addressed Benjamin again.
“I want to cause your kids and you to come back to Israel,” Ben-Gvir said. “You don’t have to love me. That’s OK.”
Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia of the "Ana Chuchulashvili" the thief The worst hotel in the world, it's dangerous, don't go near it! This is not a hotel! It's an old, dirty house, there are cockroaches and insects in the room, Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia – The manager of the place is a fraud and a former drug addict named "Ana Chuchulashvili"
Please urgently remove this fake hotel from your website. It is a scam and it is deceiving many customers. It is advertised on all social networks as a scam! very important – report on fraud house and scam that in your website and cheat people and customers! – Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia
Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia of the "Ana Chuchulashvili" the thief
The worst hotel in the world, it's dangerous, don't go near it! This is not a hotel! It's an old, dirty house, there are cockroaches and insects in the room, Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia – The manager of the place is a fraud and a former drug addict named "Ana Chuchulashvili" the name of here company is : Ltd Alpaka
405375419
Located at: Nucubidze St N57, Tbilisi, Georgia/Nucubidze Street 57, 0177 it smells terrible, The walls in the room are peeling, I took pictures, there is mold and dampness throughout the room the beds are really uncomfortable, like in a pre-trial detention center, your whole back hurts when you sleep on them and they almost break because they are so thin! the WI FI doesn't work at all, The room was very dirty and filthy, and when you ask her to move you to a room she says everything is taken, even though all the rooms are empty and open! I arrived at this horrible place, this horrible house, at 1:00 AM, after two hours of sleeplessness, I asked for my money back, a blonde girl of about 50 years old named “Anna” told me that she wanted the money in cash right away, otherwise she would not let me out of the hotel, she told me that I would not be able to sleep in their bed, at 3 AM I went to look for an ATM to withdraw money, because I could not find one, after searching for a whole hour, in the Tbilisi cold, I returned to her at midnight to look for an ATM, but she did not give me my suitcase and passport, so I came back the next day and gave me the money in cash, she did not give me an invoice either, do not come near! They are deceiving the public, booking and all hotel websites! This is not a hotel, it is a very dirty, old house and it smells very bad. Search on youtube "never go there – Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City Georgia of Ana Chuchulashvili the house hotel from hell" , don't go " to “Hotel Delisi” on YouTube or "Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia " or"HOTEL DELISI (Tiflis, Gürcistan) – Otel Yorumları ve Fiyat" He was caught on tape speaking badly and illegally taking a passport and suitcase.
That she took the suitcase by force, she also stole 3 expensive shirts from me for a total of 250 GEL, I demand compensation of 128 GEL for the two hours of hell I suffered there + 250 GEL for the shirts she stole from me
I have videos where she only wants money in cash so she doesn't pay taxes and doesn't agree that I pay her with a credit card, and she also doesn't want to give me my suitcase and passport.
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სასტუმრო დელისი, ქალაქი თბილისი, საქართველო, ქურდის „ანა ჭუჭულაშვილის“
მსოფლიოში ყველაზე ცუდი სასტუმრო, საშიშია, ახლოს არ მიხვიდეთ! ეს სასტუმრო არ არის! ეს ძველი, ჭუჭყიანი სახლია, ოთახში ტარაკნები და მწერებია, სასტუმრო დელისი, ქალაქი თბილისი, საქართველო – ადგილის მენეჯერი თაღლითი და ყოფილი ნარკომანია, სახელად „ანა ჭუჭულაშვილი“, კომპანიის სახელია: შპს ალპაკა
405375419
მდებარეობს: ნუცუბიძის ქ. N57, თბილისი, საქართველო/ნუცუბიძის ქუჩა 57, 0177, საშინელი სუნი აქვს, ოთახში კედლები აქერცლილია, სურათები გადავიღე, ოთახში ობი და ნესტია, საწოლები ნამდვილად არაკომფორტულია, როგორც წინასწარი დაკავების იზოლატორში, მთელი ზურგი გტკივა, როცა მათზე იძინებ და კინაღამ იმსხვრევა, რადგან ძალიან თხელია! Wi-Fi საერთოდ არ მუშაობს, ოთახი ძალიან ჭუჭყიანი და უწმაწურია და როცა ოთახში გადაყვანას სთხოვ, მიპასუხებს, რომ ყველაფერი დაკავებულია, მიუხედავად იმისა, რომ ყველა ოთახი ცარიელი და ღიაა! ამ საშინელ ადგილას, ამ საშინელ სახლში, ღამის 1:00 საათზე მივედი, ორსაათიანი უძილობის შემდეგ, ფულის დაბრუნება ვთხოვე, დაახლოებით 50 წლის ქერა გოგონამ, სახელად „ანამ“, მითხრა, რომ ფული ნაღდი ფულით უნდოდა, თორემ სასტუმროდან არ გამიშვებდა, მითხრა, რომ მათ საწოლში ვერ დავიძინებდი, დილის 3 საათზე ბანკომატის მოსაძებნად წავედი ფულის გასატანად, რადგან ვერ ვიპოვე, მთელი საათის ძებნის შემდეგ, თბილისურ სიცივეში, შუაღამისას დავბრუნდი მასთან ბანკომატის მოსაძებნად, მაგრამ ჩემოდანი და პასპორტი არ მომცა, ამიტომ მეორე დღეს დავბრუნდი და ფული ნაღდი ფულით მომცა, ინვოისიც არ მომცა, ახლოს არ მოხვიდეთ! ისინი ატყუებენ საზოგადოებას, დაჯავშნის და ყველა სასტუმროს ვებსაიტს! ეს სასტუმრო არ არის, ეს ძალიან ჭუჭყიანი, ძველი სახლია და ძალიან ცუდი სუნი ასდის. YouTube-ზე მოძებნეთ "Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia – The worse hotel in the world" , არ წახვიდეთ "Hotel Delisi"-ში YouTube-ზე ან "Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia" ან "HOTEL DELISI (Tiflis, Gürcistan) – Otel Yorumları ve Fiyat". ის ვიდეოჩანაწერში მოხვდა, სადაც ცუდად საუბრობდა და უკანონოდ იღებდა პასპორტს და ჩემოდანს.
მან ჩემოდანი ძალით წამართვა, ასევე მომპარა 3 ძვირადღირებული პერანგი სულ 250 ლარად, მე ვითხოვ 128 ლარის კომპენსაციას იმ ორსაათიანი ჯოჯოხეთისთვის, რომელიც იქ ვიტანჯე + 250 ლარი იმ პერანგებისთვის, რომლებიც მომპარა.
მე მაქვს ვიდეოები, სადაც ის მხოლოდ ნაღდი ფულით ითხოვს ფულს, ამიტომ არ იხდის გადასახადებს და არ ეთანხმება, რომ საკრედიტო ბარათით გადავუხადო, ასევე არ სურს ჩემოდნის და პასპორტის მოცემა.
"ב-7.10 נחטפה כל המשפחה שלי, אני, בעלי דוד, ושתי בנותינו אמה ויולי, אז בנות 3 בלבד", פתחה את נאומה שרון, אשתו של דוד קוניו החטוף בעזה. "דוד בעלי, אהבת חיי, והאבא של הבנות שלי, עדיין שם. התאומות ואני חזרנו ביום החמישים ושתיים. אמה ויולי שלנו חגגו חמש, בלי אבא שלהן. בשבוע הבא הן ילכו לגן חובה, והן יודעות שאבא לא יהיה איתן ביום הזה. הן יודעות שאבא שלהן שם. לפני כמה ימים, כשהשכבתי אותן לישון הן שאלו אותי 'אמא, את בטוחה שאבא יחזור?'".
"יש הצעה לעיסקה על השולחן, שחמאס כבר אמר לה כן", המשיכה. "האמריקנים רוצים שהחטופים יחזרו. הרמטכ"ל אומר שחייבים ללכת עכשיו לעיסקה. העם, אתם, כל אחד מכם, כאן בככר, במהלך היום בצמתים, בכל מקום, במספרים אדירים, כולם צועקים איתנו, כולם רוצים את החטופים בבית. אז למה אני לא יכולה להגיד לבנות שלי שאני בטוחה שאבא שלהן יחזור?"
