Full Breakdown
Protests Over Israeli Settlement Real-Estate Expo at New York Synagogues
5/12/2026, 11:24:38 AM
Expo and Protests
The Great Israeli Real Estate Event, a traveling showcase that markets settlement property, was held at Park East Synagogue and, on Monday, May 11, 2026, at Young Israel of Midwood in Flatbush. PAL-Awda organized street protests at both sites. Demonstrators in keffiyehs clashed with police barriers, wrestled with officers and shouted “Free Palestine.” One officer suffered a leg injury; the Flatbush protest lasted about 3.5 hours with no arrests, while the earlier event saw at least one arrest.
Background and Legal Context
The expo listed properties in Gush Etzion, Kfar Eldad, Karnei Shomron, Carmei Gat and other disputed towns. International law deems settlement sales illegal. Co-sponsored by Israeli-linked firms, the event’s use of synagogues raises housing anti-discrimination and First-Amendment concerns.
Timeline & Data
- Tue (early May): Park East expo; PAL-Awda protest.
- Wed: PAL-Awda vows continued protests.
- Fri: Rally for Flatbush expo announced on Instagram.
- Sun: Location update posted.
- Mon, May 11: Young Israel expo; protests, police buffer zone, mayor’s opposition.
The Flatbush protest lasted ~3.5 hours; hundreds of officers were deployed, one officer was injured, and no arrests were made. The Young Israel senior center received >$800,000 city funding in 2024. Most towns on the expo site fall within Israel’s pre-1967 “green line.”
Official Statements
Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he is “deeply opposed to the real-estate expo” and praised police for protecting access to houses of worship. Organizer Yaacov Epstein told registrants, “we will continue to build, grow, and stand strong together.” Senator Sam Sutton called the protest “another attempt to intimidate and threaten Jewish New Yorkers.” NYCLU director Donna Lieberman warned the buffer-zone law creates a “no-speech zone.”
Criticism & Opposition
The NYCLU argued that invoking “Freedom of Religion” to limit speech breaches constitutional rights. Senator Sutton and pro-Israel groups accused PAL-Awda of intimidation and anti-Semitic rhetoric. Counter-protesters on scooters hurled slurs, threw eggs and allegedly pepper-sprayed a demonstrator, prompting at least one arrest.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Initial reports said Mayor Mamdani signed the buffer-zone ordinance; a later correction clarified he allowed it without signature. PAL-Awda says the expo limits attendance to “Jewish people with particular political orientations,” yet the website does not require synagogue affiliation. Police have not confirmed arrest numbers at the Flatbush protest.
Verbatim Quotes
- “There is only one solution: intifada, revolution,” — Keffiyeh-clad protesters
- “We will continue to build, grow, and stand strong together - and we will not allow those who wish to disturb the event to weaken our spirit and unity,” — Yaacov Epstein, organizer
- “We in this city believe in the sacrosanct nature of the right to protest and also are committed to ensuring that any New Yorker can safely enter or exit from a house of worship and that access never be in question while we also protect the First Amendment, and I do believe that the police ensured that yesterday,” — Mayor Zohran Mamdani
- “When politicians use Freedom of Religion as a pretext to impose severe restrictions on speech, they undermine all New Yorkers’ rights,” — Donna Lieberman, NYCLU executive director
