Adams Wants to ‘Work’ With Israel

By COLlive reporter

If you are looking for Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, he’s in the holy land.

Adams was recently sighted raising an American flag over the Sea of Galilee, flying next to the Israel’s flag. Calling it one of Israel’s greatest natural gems, Adams said it was “a pleasure to see it up close and personal.”

Earlier, Adams sat down at a kosher restaurant to enjoy a full Mediterranean spread with NYPD Detective Charlie Ben-Naim, who is stationed in Israel to advance transatlantic public safety.

But flags and food aside, Adams says his 5-day trip to Israel is focused on developing transatlantic partnerships in public safety and economic development.

He’s traveling with an 11-person delegation of current and former NYPD officials as well as local community leaders. The trip is sponsored by the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York (JCRC-NY), led by Michael Miller.

A former police captain, Adams will be visiting an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) base in the Golan Heights and a counterterrorism briefing with intelligence officials in the Israeli National Security Council.

The Borough President underscored the importance of this mission for strengthening the critical ties between Brooklyn and Israel, particularly in the midst of rising extremism in the Middle East that also threatens American security.

“Israel will find no better friend than the borough of Brooklyn, and strengthening our partnership is vital to advancing that friendship in the name of mutual benefit for our communities,” Adams said ahead of the trip.

“Our interests in public safety and economic development are best enhanced when we work hand-in-hand with our allies, and I am excited about the work we will accomplish on this trip with our Israeli counterparts on these important issues,” he added.

His itinerary includes a tour of the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum, and meetings with the chair of the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, Efrat Mayor Oded Ravivi and Sderot Mayor Alon Davidi; Knesset members Hilik Bar, Avi Dichter, and Avi Gabai; Al-Qassemi College of Engineering and Science President Dr. Dalia Fadila; IDF officials Lieutenant Colonel Peter Lerner and Major Kobi Harush.

The delegation includes retired NYPD Chief of Department Phillip Banks, III, NYPD Inspector and 90th Precinct Commanding Officer Mark DiPaolo, retired NYPD Inspector and current National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) President Timothy Pearson, NYPD Captain and 66th Precinct Commanding Officer Kenneth Quick, and NYPD Patrol Borough Brooklyn North Deputy Chief Jack Trabitz.

Members of Adams’ office who are traveling with him include his special counsel Ama Dwimoh, special assistant Joel Eisdorfer, director of intergovernmental affairs Rabbi Abe Friedman.

“As Brooklynites, we are not only proud to be home to the largest Jewish population outside of Israel, we are reflective of their religious, ethnic, and ideological diversity and a model for greater cultural harmony,” Adams said.