Transcript: Mayor de Blasio Participates in Q&A Discussion with Marilyn Rosenthal at AIPAC Policy Conference

March 24, 2019

Announcer: AIPAC National Director for Progressive Engagement, Marilyn Rosenthal.

AIPAC National Director for Progressive Engagement Marilyn Rosenthal: Good afternoon. Our final guest today is an outspoken and ardent pro-Israel champion. As Mayor of New York City, Bill de Blasio – go for it—

[Applause]

— has worked tirelessly to expand his city's relationship with the Jewish state. We are incredibly honored to have him with us here at the AIPAC Policy Conference and joining us for today's session. So ladies and gentlemen, please join me in welcoming a strong supporter of the U.S. – Israel relationship, a friend of AIPAC and the pro-Israel movement, the Mayor of New York City, Bill de Blasio.

[Applause]

Rosenthal: You have some fans in the audience. Does that surprise you?

Mayor Bill de Blasio: A lot of New Yorkers around.

Rosenthal: At a pro-Israel conference, I would think so.

Mayor: We’re a loud people, New Yorkers, you hear us everywhere.

Rosenthal: So what I want to do, before we get into the questions, is I just want to take this moment to publicly thank you for standing up and being so outspoken at the moment in time when we needed you on anti-Semitism and against BDS. So please join me in thanking the Mayor for that.

[Applause]

Mayor: Thank you. Thank you so much, Marilyn. Thank you.

And Marilyn, I want to say, and this is really important at this moment, I've spent my whole life in the Democratic Party and in the progressive movement, the vast majority of Democrats support the State of Israel. The vast majority of progressive's support the State of Israel. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

[Applause]

Rosenthal: So I just want to let our audience know that this is the first of two appearances by the Mayor. We're going to have this conversation today and it's an opportunity for you as AIPAC delegates to get to know him more in this intimate setting. And this is an intimate setting at the AIPAC Policy Conference. Take my word for it. And then tomorrow you will see him on the main stage talking about the very important issues of the day that we just exchanged about. So I just want to kind of share that with you at this moment. So, Mr. Mayor, I just want to ask you, as a progressive Democrat, why you are such a strong supporter of Israel?

Mayor: Marilyn, for me it's very personal. A part of it is I've been to Israel four times. The experience of meeting the Israeli people, learning the history, understanding why Israel must exist from that perspective, but also from New York City perspective. I am the Mayor of the city on Earth with the largest Jewish population, 1.2 million people, and we are proud of that.

[Applause]

And for us, you know, one way of saying is Israel might be the sixth borough, you could say it that way, but there's an incredibly close connection and that's a joyous thing. But Marilyn, I've also seen a lot of pain that gives me a commitment to Israel because in my own city, you know, the most diverse place on earth, a place known for a mutual respect and inclusion, you know, I've – I have had to go into neighborhoods and talk to people about why their menorah was destroyed or why there were swastikas scrawled on their school. I've talked to parents whose children were attacked. They're young boys were attacked because they're wearing a kippah. This is in New York City and I understand the threat is so much greater and it's very real and other parts of the United States as we saw tragically in Pittsburgh, but we see it every day in, in less tragic but still very, very cautionary situations all over America. We see it all over Europe. So for me it's personal because I've come to know and to love the community and I think the community is threatened and that is why we must stand by Israel. There must be a place in the world where Jewish people will always be safe.

Rosenthal: So there are many people who think that New York City is the center of the world, and I'm assuming you might be one of those people.

Mayor: May have a point there.

Rosenthal: I remember that poster. But in all seriousness, Israel is a small country with even smaller cities. So as the mayor of the largest city in America, what impresses you most about Israel?

Mayor: Well, I think this is a really important point to draw out in this national discussion we're having because we have to understand there's a lot to look to Israel for that we should appreciate. And a lot of times, of course people say, you know, our, our most important ally, our closest ally in the Middle East, that's important, a great center of innovation, that's important. That's not what I key in on – I key in on the historic achievements of Israel when it comes to creating a society, a multiracial, democratic society, a society that guarantees access to health care, guarantees free higher education – I mean these are really foundational things we're trying to reach—

Rosenthal: That’s right?

Mayor: —that we haven't in this country and that does not mean for a moment there aren't things to work on in Israel or in America to create a society that is more inclusive, that is more democratic. There's still obviously work to be done. But I admire that history in Israel and I think the thing we all have to deal now is here in the United States and in Israel, we have to protect those democratic traditions and that history of opportunity and egalitarianism because it is being in many ways challenged in both countries by rising inequality. So as much as I can say I admire some of the things in Israel that that I would like to see more of here, I also have to say we're both going through some of the same challenges and that the way to keep a country strong is by everyone feeling bought in, everyone feeling they have a place. I think the inequality in the United States and the inequality in Israel is actually starting to fray the social fabric some. It needs to be addressed in both places, and remember, security is on everyone's mind, the security of the State of Israel for sure, protecting our communities in the United States. But security is also about how strong are, how unified our own communities are. And that's something we're working on hard in New York City to create a place for everyone.

Rosenthal: Hey and I would just say that I think that the diversity of the populations in the United States and the diversity of the populations in Israel make those opportunities stronger, make the ability to reach those heights even stronger.

Mayor: I might say it's more; it's even more impressive because we are two of the great multiracial societies.

Rosenthal: Yes, yes.

Mayor: When we can just show – and I see New York as a real beacon to the world here. We have every community together, every faith. I say if you want the great example of one day unified humanity, it's not perfect, but it will do – a New York City subway car where you know, hundreds of people, everybody different, they don't break out into fist fights by and large, they get along and people learn to live and let live. And we are trying to perfect that in New York and in America and Israel as well. And that's something that could help the whole world come along.

Rosenthal: So my next question to you is that, look, we know that New York City and Israel have a lot of things in common and the list is very long. So let's just start with the most obvious, which is that both Israel in New York City have the most patient drivers.

[Laughter]

Mayor: Yes.

Rosenthal: Right?

Mayor: Well known fact.

Rosenthal: Right? 

Mayor: Yes.

Rosenthal: But let me actually cut to the more serious pieces here, because both New York and Israel were built by robust immigrants.

Mayor: Yes.

Rosenthal: And a robust immigrant community and they have both felt intolerance. But they are both resilient and they're both tolerant.

Mayor: Yeah.

Rosenthal: And so can you just speak to some of the common values that exist between Israel and New York City, as you look at resiliency and you look at tolerance and you look at a robust immigrant community?

Mayor: Look, I think one of the beautiful things about Israel and America and certainly New York City as an exemplar of America is, you know, we are nations still being born, we are, we're not done yet. Interestingly, I think people here know it, but a lot of people may not realize, you know, there are very few nations in the world that were built on an idea, an idea of justice. The United States formed in an anti-colonial struggle. Israel formed as an answer in my view, to oppression and a place of liberation, a place of refuge an upholding of a set of values. This is a very special characteristic. It's not just we have – you know, people happen to form a nation. They formed the nation with values. But that means that work of democracy never ends. That work of self-improvement and unity never ends. So when you make the point about immigrant nations, we are constantly rejuvenated by immigration. That's something we have to sort out in this country right now, this vast debate we're having. We are made stronger by the rejuvenation of immigration.

Rosenthal: That’s right.

[Applause]

Mayor: And it doesn't matter what language people speak, what color they are, we can see it in both nations, so many ways that they were strengthened. But we've got to deepen that value, because there still is intolerance in both places. There still are people who seek to divide. So that work of perfecting the union, that work of improving democracy, that work of creating a real, a truly gal turning society that continues. But what excites me about both countries is the debate is raging. The issues are out in the open. You can, you can take one position or another and you have the right to do so. And that is something we have to cherish and look around the world. I hate to say it, including in Europe where, you know, a lot of us were brought up thinking of Europe as this wonderful wellspring of democracy and culture, and we're seeing these horrible nativist movements in Europe. We're seeing these autocratic leaders coming to power even in Europe. And, right now in the United States and Israel with vibrant democracies, we're rejecting that notion of letting our democracy slip away. But the truly democratic countries have something in common. They're going to have to protect the model and the vision of democracy in a world where it's actually losing ground.

Rosenthal: So I want to shift for a moment and ask you, about the U.S.-Israel relationship. Because as a pro-Israel community, we are really focused on ensuring bipartisan support for that relationship and we do find ourselves in challenging environments in which that might take place, in which it might be more difficult to get, both robust Democratic and Republican support. So from your perspective as an elected official and someone on the Democratic side who's a strong supporter of Israel and its relationship with United States, how do we continue as a movement to ensure bipartisan support?

Mayor: I think it is there and I think honestly, there's a rather cynical attempt right now to portray some kind of drift that I don't see and I don't experience. I – again, the vast majority of Democrats, the vast majority of progressive's believes in the State of Israel and believe the United States of America needs to defend the State of Israel, period, period.

[Applause]

And, I see a very clever strategy to try and do some divide and conquer here, but I don't believe it's going to work. The center of gravity in American politics – and I say this, I really believe this analytically, I am subjective because I'm a Democrat and a progressive, but I really believe it. American politics is moving steadily more toward the Democratic Party and steadily more toward the progressive side of the ledger. It – you see a lot of generational change, which is ultimately going to favor Democrats and progressives. I say that to say we all need to be talking to each other. Those of us – and we are the vast majority who support Israel regardless of party, regardless of ideology, we have a lot in common. We have a lot in common as Americans by the way, you know, let's, let's remember that fact. Despite the many efforts of various pundits and commentators to divide us, we actually have a lot in common – radical statement of the day.

So the –  I think it is imperative for this organization and all organizations to support Israel to see the changes happening in the United States and embrace the ascendant part of the political spectrum in a spirit of mutual respect. That's part of why I think it was important for me to be here. I – you don't have to agree with every single thing that AIPAC has supported or everyone who goes to AIPAC conference. By the way, I think people who go to the AIPAC conference don't all agree with each other. It's a vibrant democracy right here.

Rosenthal: That’s right.

Mayor: But you do have to agree that Israel matters in the world, and that we have to defend Israel. That's what it comes down to.

[Applause]

Rosenthal: So I just want to conclude by thanking you for being here on the stage, for being such an important voice in support of the U.S.-Israel relationship. And as the Mayor of New York City, it is an incredible treat for us to have you here in our home. So thank you so very much. Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in thanking Mayor Bill de Blasio.

Mayor: Thank you. Thank you, Marilyn.

Rosenthal: Thank you very much.

Mayor: Thank you.