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Friday, July 3, 2026
NY activists plan protest against Ben Gvir visit that spokesperson says isn’t happening
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Anti-Zionist activists are planning to protest against a purported visit to New York by far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, but a Ben Gvir spokesperson says he’s not actually planning on traveling to New York.
Anti-Israel activist groups, including the Palestinian Youth Movement and the New York branch of Jewish Voice for Peace, say that Ben Gvir is planning to attend a United Nations summit for police next week.
The groups announce a rally at the UN on July 7 and issue an open letter to New York State Attorney General Letitia James asking her to “use the full power of your office to pursue this war criminal.”
Anti-Israel, pro-Palestinian groups such as the Council on American-Islamic Relations and the Hind Rajab Foundation also issue statements in protest of the visit.
A spokesperson for Ben Gvir tells The Times of Israel, however, that he’s not planning on attending the UN summit.
Last month, the Haaretz daily reported that Ben Gvir would be leading a delegation to the United Nations Chiefs of Police Summit (UNCOPS) that is set to take place on July 7 and 8. But the report was never confirmed by Ben Gvir’s office and he reportedly later canceled the trip.
Far-right ministers have made surprise visits to New York in the past.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich made an unannounced appearance at New York City’s annual Israel parade in May, causing an uproar.
Ben Gvir last visited the US in 2025, making stops in Florida, Connecticut, New York and Washington.
Hebrew media reported last month that the far-right minister canceled an earlier visit after he was required by the US embassy to arrive in person and provide his fingerprints as a condition for receiving a visa, apparently due to his past criminal convictions.
The Times of Israel Community.