NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- NYPD commissioner Jessica Tisch on Wednesday met with Israel's Consul General in New York, Ofir Akunis, to discuss several issues affecting Jewish and Israeli New Yorkers -- and to thank her for the NYPD's protection of the communities, which have increasingly been the target of hate crimes since Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack.
Akunis thanked Tisch -- who assumed her position last November after nearly 17 years in public service -- for the NYPD's "efforts in protecting the Jewish and Israeli communities in New York and called the fight against antisemitism a 'shared responsibility,'" the consulate said in a release, adding Akunis also "expressed his deep appreciation to Tisch for the NYPD's cooperation and partnership with the Israeli security team."
Since Oct. 7, at some local demonstrations calling for Palestinian statehood and for Israel to stop its response to the attack -- during which Hamas murdered 1,200 people and kidnapped to Gaza more than 250 people of varying nationalities and religions, both civilian and military personnel, according to U.S. and Israeli officials -- flags for Hamas and Hezbollah, both U.S.-designated terror groups, have been spotted. Several thousand Gaza residents have also been killed in the fighting and forced to relocate within the territory.
During the meeting at One Police Plaza, Akunis "emphasized the alarming rise in antisemitism since October 7, 2023, the display of terrorist organization flags and the burning of Israeli and American flags, and stressed the importance of law enforcement in combating these acts of hate," the consul said of the meeting between Akunis and Tisch, who was previously the Department of Sanitation commissioner.
Akunis "also raised concerns about campus security and the need to protect Jewish students" with Tisch, who earned a Bachelor of Arts, an MBA and law degree, all from Harvard, which, like many NYC colleges and universities, was a hotbed of anti-Israel or anti-Jewish activity following Oct. 7.
As for the 73 hostages still in captivity, of whom Israel has declared at least 34 to be dead, the consulate said, "Commissioner Tisch expressed interest in the status of the hostages and the ongoing war, and Akunis reaffirmed that Israel will never allow October 7, 2023 to repeat itself. At the end of the meeting, Akunis invited Tisch for an official visit to Israel."