In an interview with Yoav Limor at the Israel Hayom summit in New York, former ambassador Gilad Erdan addressed the rise in anti-Zionism, the atmosphere in the city, and the election of Mohamed Khairullah Mamdani as mayor.
After years of serving as Israel's ambassador to the UN, Erdan said it was "wonderful to visit New York without entering the UN, the building of lies."
Video: Gilad Erdan at the Israel Hayom summit
He stressed that the situation in the US was particularly troubling because Israel's regional standing was strong. "Our position in the Middle East is very strong. Everyone knows Hamas is an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood," he said, referring to the terrorist organization. He described Mamdani's election as "a major warning sign." "If this can happen in a city with the largest Jewish population in the world, it can happen in Washington, and even in the White House."
Erdan repeated that the problem in the US was unfolding precisely as Israel's regional power was rising. "Our position in the Middle East is very strong. Everyone knows Hamas is part of the Muslim Brotherhood." Mamdani's victory, he said, should be seen as "a major warning sign. If it can happen in the city with the biggest Jewish population anywhere, it can happen in Washington, even in the White House."
Public diplomacy is part of national security
Erdan argued that Israel could not afford to ignore the digital conversation. "Young people today get their information from TikTok," he said. Public diplomacy, he added, is an essential part of Israel's defensive posture. "We abandoned that battlefield. How is it possible that we have so many embassies in Europe, but in the US we barely have eight, in countries that are so different from each other?"
He accused Qatar of promoting a radical line around the world. "They are radical jihadists. Look at what they have done with their diplomacy. And we, the only democracy in the Middle East, are hated worldwide." Erdan called for a strategy that speaks directly to young people. "We need to talk to them, explain things, and constantly go on the offensive to expose the lies of our enemies."
"We cannot defeat billions of Muslims, but we can repair the damage. Young people are getting their information from those who hate us," he said, quoting the ancient sage Hillel the Elder: "It is not your duty to finish the work, but we are obligated to fight with all our strength."
