Bklyn Vigil for Hamas Leader Ismail Haniyeh Draws Controversy;  Features Neturei Karta

Edited by: Fern Sidman

A  prayer vigil held on Sunday in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, for assassinated Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh has ignited controversy and condemnation, highlighting deep divisions within the community. According to a report in The New York Post, the vigil, which took place on a street corner in one of New York City’s most prominent Arab American neighborhoods, was organized just days after Haniyeh was killed in an airstrike and died from a remotely detonated bomb inside a guesthouse in Tehran, according to multiple Middle Eastern officials, including two Iranians and an American official.

NOW: Dozen of protesters gathered in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn in NYC as they held a Vigil and a prayer for Ismail Haniyeh, the Hamas political leader killed in Iran.

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The Post report indicated that in the wake of Haniyeh’s death, Hamas has named Yahya Sinwar, also known as Abu Omer Hassan, as his successor. Sinwar, the Gaza chief, will serve in this role until Hamas can hold elections next year. Sinwar’s leadership is expected to continue Hamas’s long-standing strategy of armed resistance against Israel, and his appointment suggests that the organization is keen to maintain continuity in its operations despite the loss of one of its top figures.

Tehran and Hamas have both blamed Israel for the assassination, a claim consistent with Israel’s history of targeting high-profile figures within hostile organizations, as was revealed in The Post report.  However, as is typical when such operations are conducted on Iranian soil, Israel has neither confirmed nor denied its involvement.

The Bay Ridge prayer vigil featured a group of protesters, many of whom were draped in keffiyeh scarves adorned with the Palestinian flag. As was reported by The Post, they gathered around a reverent painting of Haniyeh, with one young man reading a statement that framed Haniyeh as a martyr in the struggle against Zionism and U.S. imperialism. “In the most recent escalations by the Zionist and US imperialist partners, Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the political bureau of Hamas, was murdered in Tehran,” the speaker declared. According to the information provided in The Post report, he described Haniyeh as the “top Palestinian negotiator” over the past two decades and accused his killers of seeking to extend “barbaric rule and ethnic cleansing of Palestine by exterminating Palestinians on their indigenous homeland.”

The vigil, held in Bay Ridge, a neighborhood known for its significant Arab American population, was the latest in a series of events that have stirred tensions in the area. The report in The Post indicated that just a few months earlier, in May, a similar gathering led to violent clashes between pro-Hamas demonstrators and NYPD officers. That incident resulted in more than a dozen arrests, with some protesters openly waving the green flag of Hamas in a show of solidarity with the terrorist group that was responsible for the barbaric massacre of 1200 Israelis and others on October 7^th.

Adding a gruesome twist to the vigil was the presence of about a dozen members of the anti-Zionist Neturei Karta organization. Their participation in the event, which celebrated a leader of a group responsible for numerous attacks on Israeli civilians, has sparked outrage within the Jewish community. State Senator Simcha Felder, who represents Borough Park and Midwood, was particularly vocal in his condemnation. “They’re meshugana! They’re crazy,” Felder told The Post, expressing disbelief that any Jewish person would attend such an event. He added, “They show up at all these anti-Israel events. But showing up for a vigil for a murderer of innocent people?! How do you call yourself a Jew?”

Felder, a Democrat known for his conservative stance on issues related to Israel, described the beliefs of these individuals as “fringe of a fringe of a fringe,” emphasizing that their views are not representative of the broader Jewish community, as per the information contained in The Post report. His comments reflect a broader frustration among many Jews who see such participation as a betrayal of their community’s values and a tacit endorsement of violence against innocent civilians.

The men at the vigil who were wearing traditional Orthodox Jewish garb were seen holding a sign for Neturei Karta International, but declined to provide comment to The Post on their participation. However, NKI’s website provides insight into the group’s ideology. The Post report said that according to their stated beliefs, NKI claims to represent “many who stand up for true Judaism and promote traditional Judaism in opposition to the philosophy of Zionism.” The group openly opposes the existence of the State of Israel, describing it as a “Zionist occupation of Palestine” and condemns what they allege are ongoing atrocities committed against the Palestinian people.

Neturei Karta’s opposition to Israel is rooted in a theological belief that the establishment of a Jewish state is illegitimate until the arrival of the Messiah. The report in The Post noted that this radical interpretation of Jewish teachings puts them at odds with the vast majority of the global Jewish community, which views the existence of Israel as a fundamental aspect of Jewish identity and security.

Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, executive vice president of the New York Board of Rabbis, did not mince words when discussing NKI’s participation in the vigil. Describing the group’s ideology as “bizarre,” Potasnik explained to The Post that their belief in the illegitimacy of Israel until the Messiah’s arrival is not only fringe but also deeply troubling. “It’s sickening what they’re doing. It’s immoral,” Potasnik told The Post, labeling Neturei Karta as “an extremist group” whose actions are far outside the mainstream of Jewish thought and practice.

The outrage over Neturei Karta’s involvement was further amplified by Jewish activist Jeffrey Wiesenfeld, a former CUNY trustee who has served under prominent New York politicians including Governor George Pataki, Senator Al D’Amato, and Mayor Ed Koch. According to the information in The Post report, Wiesenfeld drew a stark historical comparison, likening the group’s actions to “the German Bund in America holding a vigil during World War II for Adolf Hitler.” The German American Bund was a pro-Nazi organization in the United States during the 1930s and 1940s, known for its support of Adolf Hitler and the Third Reich.

Wiesenfeld’s analogy underscores the depth of the offense taken by many in the Jewish community. For these critics, Neturei Karta’s participation in the vigil not only disrespects the memory of those killed in Hamas attacks but also echoes the dangerous appeasement of extremist ideologies that have targeted Jews throughout history.

The assassination of Haniyeh has also sparked significant debate in the United States, particularly regarding the activities of pro-Hamas supporters on American soil. Some U.S. officials and commentators have expressed concern over demonstrations and public displays of support for Hamas, which the U.S. government designates as a terrorist organization, as per the information in The Post report.  One prominent voice in this debate has called for a more stringent approach to dealing with individuals who publicly advocate for Hamas or other terrorist organizations.

“If the government was doing its job properly, anyone advocating for terrorists on the streets of America would have their immigration status examined and they should be deported to send a message,” said the official, referring to the protesters as “local jihadists,” The Post report said. This statement reflects a growing sentiment among some that more aggressive measures should be taken to curb domestic support for groups such as Hamas, especially in light of recent events.