NYC Mayor Mamdani Rebukes Expo Promoting Land Sales in West Bank Settlements

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani condemned a Manhattan expo promoting land sales in Israeli West Bank settlements, prompting dueling protests outside a synagogue.

A real estate expo promoting property purchases tied to Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank drew an immediate rebuke from New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Tuesday, with safety concerns and free-speech tensions already set to spill into the streets.

The event. called the “Great Israeli Real Estate Event. ” was held at Park East Synagogue on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.. The expo advertised itself as a way for people in the United States. Canada and the United Kingdom to buy land in Israel and the West Bank. including help with relocation issues such as taxes and education concerns.. It also positioned the gathering as a resource for prospective buyers, telling attendees that it was for “information purposes only.”

Ahead of the show, Mamdani’s office criticized what it described as the promotion of land sales in settlements that may violate international law.

“Mayor Mamdani is deeply opposed to the real estate expo this evening that includes the promotion of the sale of land in settlements. ” Mamdani spokesperson Sam Raskin said in a statement.. The spokesperson added that “these settlements are illegal under international law and deeply tied to the ongoing displacement of Palestinians.”

Several organizers and vendors at the synagogue event underscored the subject of Mamdani’s concerns.. The expo’s materials referenced Gush Etzion. a cluster of roughly 20 settlements in the West Bank southeast of Jerusalem. widely considered illegal under international law.. Lara Friedman. president of the Foundation for Middle East Peace. said the inclusion of Gush Etzion reflected a broader pro-settlement approach that does not distinguish between Israel proper and the occupied territory.

“Gush Etzion is the Israeli term for an area of the West Bank located south of Jerusalem on which. under international law. all Israeli construction. all Israeli communities are considered illegal under international law. ” Friedman said.. She added that the pro-settlement movement. and many Israelis. do not treat the West Bank as distinct from Israel. describing the area as part of “Eretz Yisrael. ” or “the land of Israel.”

Inside the synagogue, more than a dozen tables promoted real estate services.. Most of the listings highlighted luxury developments in cities within Israel’s internationally recognized borders, including Tel Aviv and Netanya.. But at least one company. Harey Zahav. displayed maps and brochures pointing to properties in Israeli settlements in the West Bank. listing locations such as Kfar Eldad and Karnei Shomron.

The event was sponsored by a group called Home in Israel. though it is not the only organization that has staged similar fairs in North America.. In recent years. real estate events tied to migration and land-buying interests have appeared in New York and other cities. including Baltimore and Montreal. and have sometimes been hosted in religious settings.

In a separate thread from Tuesday’s expo, Pal-Awda, a pro-Palestine group, announced plans for a protest outside Park East Synagogue.

“We will not be silent as ethnic cleansing is being actively promoted in our neighborhoods,” the group wrote on social media.

Counter-protest activity was also promoted.. A flyer shared on social media called for “All members of the Jewish community” to come out and “protect the synagogue.” The flyer included social media handles associated with the synagogue. but the call for a counter-protest did not appear to come directly from Park East Synagogue.

Because Park East has become a flashpoint for demonstrations in the past. Mamdani’s office urged restraint and emphasized that the city would prioritize secure access.. In remarks accompanying the controversy around the expo. Raskin called for both the safety of eventgoers and respect for protesters’ constitutional rights.

“Our administration has also been clear that we are committed to ensuring safe entry and exit from any house of worship,” Raskin said, adding that such access should never be in question while protesters are able to exercise their First Amendment rights.

The synagogue’s history suggests the atmosphere around Tuesday’s demonstrations could be volatile.. In November. Pal-Awda organized a demonstration against an event hosted by Nefesh B’Nefesh. a group that facilitates migration to Israel.. That protest drew public condemnation from then-Mayor Eric Adams and other city leaders.

Those clashes helped spur a City Council push this year for a so-called buffer zone to keep demonstrators farther from houses of worship. Although free-speech advocates opposed buffer zones, a version of the bill passed in March and became law on April 25 after Mamdani declined to sign or veto it.

Under the law, the New York Police Department was ordered to produce a safety plan for protecting houses of worship.. The requirement includes deadlines: 45 days to deliver a proposed plan. and 90 days to deliver a final plan. meaning the policy is not yet fully in effect.. A related measure aimed at similar buffer zones for universities and other educational institutions passed the City Council but was vetoed by Mamdani. who criticized it as overbroad and a threat to free speech.

As the expo proceeded inside Park East Synagogue on Tuesday. the prospect of protests outside set the stage for another test of how New York handles demonstrations at sensitive locations. and whether international-law concerns tied to settlement-related commerce will continue to resonate in local political battles.

Zohran Mamdani Park East Synagogue West Bank settlements New York City protests real estate expo free speech