Statement from Attorney General James and Bipartisan Coalition of 13 Attorneys General on the Attacks on Israel

 

New York Attorney General Letitia James and a bipartisan group of 13 attorneys general from Arizona, California, Delaware, Illinois, Kansas, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and the District of Columbia released the following joint statement on the current situation in Israel and the attacks launched by Hamas:  

“We are aghast and outraged at the wanton, calculated attacks on civilians going about their daily lives. The carnage, perpetrated by Hamas and its supporters, has directly led to the loss of hundreds of innocent lives and horrific kidnappings. We grieve with our Israeli siblings and with the loved ones of all those innocent lives lost in Israel and Gaza because of this surprise attack. The targeting of civilians by Hamas as well as the thousands of rockets it has fired indiscriminately at civilian targets are acts that cannot be tolerated or rationalized. Violence and terror are not the ways to achieve a lasting and meaningful peace in this conflict. Only the rule of law, mutual respect and understanding can help all sides realize true security, freedom, justice, and peace.”

Governor Hochul Directs Flags to Half-staff in Remembrance of Lives Lost in Recent Terrorist Attacks Against Israel

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that flags on State buildings will be flown at half-staff indefinitely starting on Wednesday, October 11 in remembrance of the lives lost as a result of the recent terrorist attacks against the State of Israel.

“New York stands in solidarity with Israel and the Jewish community," Governor Hochul said. “I am proud to serve as Governor of the state that is home to the largest Jewish population outside of Israel and I am committed to doing everything in my power to make sure that this community is supported and protected today and every day."

In the wake of last week's terrorist attacks in Israel, Governor Hochul directed the New York State Police to increase patrols and outreach and reiterated calls for social media companies to strengthen platform moderation in order to prevent the proliferation of hateful content. On Saturday, Governor Hochul also directed New York State landmarks to be illuminated blue and white in solidarity with the State of Israel.

Governor Hochul has also spoken with a broad range of Jewish community leaders and elected officials to offer support during this critical time and is working with the U.S. Department of State to ensure New Yorkers currently traveling in Israel can return home safely.

 

MAYOR ADAMS DELIVERS REMARKS AT “NEW YORK STANDS WITH ISRAEL” RALLY

 

Mayor Eric Adams: Thank you. Thank you. And I am not going to be long. I'm going to give you four words. This morning on my briefing, my [chief] counsel, Lisa Zornberg, said something that I want us all to acknowledge. We've been through some tough times, New Yorkers. We are tough people. We saw the center of our trade collapse. We saw some of the horrific actions that played out on the stage of our city and our country.

 

But she said something that hits me to my soul. She stated to our team, we are not all right. We are not all right when we see young girls pulled from their home and dragged through the streets. We are not all right when we see grandmothers being pulled away from their homes and children shot in front of their families. We are not all right when right here in the City of New York you have those who celebrate at the same time when the devastation is taking place in our city.

 

We are not all right when Hamas believes that they are fighting on behalf of something and their destructive, despicable action that carried out. We are not all right when we still have hostages who have not come home to their family. We are not all right, and we're not going to say we have a stiff upper lip and act like everything is fine. Everything is not fine. Israel has a right to defend itself, and that's the right that we know.

 

Your fight is our fight. Your fight is our fight. And right here in New York we have the largest Jewish population outside of Israel. This is the place that our voices must raise and cascade throughout the entire country. We will not be all right until every person responsible for this act is held accountable. And we don't have to pretend.

 

And I want to thank my religious leaders throughout this city of all religious groups who reached out to us and clearly stated that they denounce the hatred and the antisemitism that was displayed on one of the holiest days of the year. This was intentional. This was bitter. This was nasty. This was something that shows Hamas must be disbanded and destroyed immediately.

 

And so I say to you, I'm not here because I'm your mayor. I've been in Israel as a state senator, I protected the community of the city in general but specifically the Jewish community as a police officer. I stood with you as borough president. And now I'm here today to say not only am I the chief executive of this city, but I'm your brother. I'm your brother.

 

Your fight is my fight. That swastika not only displays the pain of antisemitism, it displays the pain of racism among African Americans. You marched with us with Dr. King. You stood with us with all the fights we have. And I'm saying we're going to stand with you and stand united together. And we don't have to be all right. We should be angry at what we saw. Thank you, Israel.

 

Phase One Of The Starhill Affordable Housing Complex At 1600 Grand Avenue In Morris Heights Tops Out In The Bronx

 

The first phase of the Starhill affordable housing complex has topped out in the Morris Heights section of The Bronx. The complex is currently addressed as 1600 Grand Avenue and this first phase will include a 14-story building with 326 affordable apartments, including 200 units for formerly homeless adults grappling with substance abuse.

The development team includes Services for the UnderServed (S:US) and Bronx Pro, with design by Marvel Architects. The entire site spans approximately two acres and was formerly a hospital operated by S:US.

“Over the past fifteen years, S:US has demonstrated unwavering dedication to creating safe and stable housing options for New Yorkers most in need,” said Arlo Chase, senior vice president of Real Estate & Property Development at Services for the UnderServed. “This milestone is a testament to the organization’s commitment to expanding its housing portfolio and meeting the evolving needs of the community.”

Future tenants at Starhill will also have access to on-site supportive services and rental subsidies to help ease the transition from homelessness to a more stable living environment. S:US will be the service provider for the supportive housing units with funding from the Office of Addiction Services and Support under the Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative (ESSHI) program.

Construction on phase two is expected to break ground in June 2024 and debut by the end of 2027. The entire complex will comprise around 570 affordable and supportive housing units according to original plans revealed in 2022.

Approvals for the Starhill complex would not have been possible without passage of the Jerome Avenue Rezoning Plan, a community initiative that has facilitated the construction of mixed-use and mixed-income housing along 73 blocks of Jerome Avenue in The Bronx. The plan was approved by The New York City Council in 2018 and is expected to create roughly 4,600 new apartments, with over 1,000 units of affordable housing.

Man Convicted in $67M “Doctor Chase” Genetic Testing Fraud Scheme

 

A federal jury in Fort Pierce, Florida, convicted a Florida man on Oct. 6 for his role in a scheme to defraud Medicare of over $67 million by tricking physicians into authorizing thousands of genetic tests that were completely unnecessary and not used in the treatment of the Medicare beneficiaries who took them.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Jose Goyos, 37, of West Palm Beach, managed a call center that engaged in deceptive telemarketing calls targeting thousands of Medicare beneficiaries and their physicians. Goyos and his co-conspirators managed the so-called “doctor chase” division of the call center, which contacted the primary care physicians of targeted Medicare beneficiaries and tricked these medical providers into ordering and authorizing medically unnecessary genetic tests based on medical paperwork that the call center created. For example, Goyos directed call center employees to falsely represent to providers that the Medicare beneficiaries were “mutual patients” who requested these genetic tests, and that the beneficiaries had medical conditions justifying genetic testing, when neither statement was true. 

Goyos and his co-conspirators then used those doctors’ authorizations to submit claims to Medicare for the expensive and unnecessary genetic tests. In reality, the labs were shells; they had no equipment, did not conduct a single test, and had no lab personnel. Goyos and his co-conspirators referred all the genetic tests to other labs, which conducted them at a small fraction of the price that Goyos and his co-conspirators charged to Medicare. Finally, after the tests were conducted, the results often were not sent to the Medicare beneficiary’s primary care physicians and were not used in the treatment of the beneficiary.

In total, between June 2020 and July 2021, Goyos and his co-conspirators submitted over $67 million of these false and fraudulent claims to Medicare, of which Medicare paid over $52 million.

The jury convicted Goyos of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 21. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the conspiracy to commit wire fraud count and 10 years in prison for the conspiracy to commit money laundering count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

To date, 20 other defendants have pleaded guilty in the scheme to various charges, including the leaders of the scheme – Daniel M. Carver, Thomas Dougherty, and John Paul Gosney Jr. – who are scheduled to be sentenced in December.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, and Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) made the announcement.

The FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case.

The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, comprised of 15 strike forces operating in 25 federal districts, has charged more than 5,000 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $24 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.

Governor Hochul Delivers Remarks at "We Stand With Israel" Community Rally

Governor Hochul: “Mark my words, I assure you as the Governor I will make sure that we leave no stone unturned to find out how we can make sure that every single one of you is safe when you gather, because that is your God given right to exercise your belief, your religion, your true identity.”

Hochul: “What must give us peace is to know that the world is united with Israel tonight in a way that I don't believe it has been since the inception of this great concept of a democracy in the middle of the homeland 75 years ago – what a great vision it was to let people come back and celebrate the history and traditions and allow you to live in peace again.”

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing. When I look out at this crowd this evening, it is so crystal clear to me that by your presence here, you will never do nothing. You will stand together as a community, united, sometimes by celebration, as was the intended gathering of Jews all across the world, to commemorate what is the happiest, most joyous time of the year. The conclusion of the Torah and the new beginning.

And to think about having just come through the Holy Days. Families, friends, people from all over gather. They dance. They have concerts,they're at peace with who they are until the forces of evil intervene. Now Jews have been persecuted for their belief and being the chosen people of God throughout history. Antisemitism is not a 21st century phenomenon, it has always been there. But what is so shocking to all of us today, in 2023, that Saturday was the deadliest day for the Jewish community since the Holocaust.

This is a day that will be spoken about for generations, just as we speak with whispered tones about what families and people still living among us endured during the Holocaust. It is a black mark. It hurts. People are afraid. People still haven't heard from their loved ones yet. They don't know if they're hostages.

We're trying so hard to reunite families and offer support and prayersand conversations I've had with everyone from President Herzog, who I just met in New York a few weeks ago, invited me to Israel, and that trip was planned for very soon to our embassies, our State Department, I'll be meeting the Israeli Ambassadors to the United Nations tomorrow to find out what we can do.

I also want you to know that as the Governor of the State, my number one priority is the safety of all New Yorkers. And to that end, early Saturday morning, when reports of this first came out, I knew as the leader of the state with the largest Jewish population outside of Israel – something I'm enormously proud of, and we celebrate all the time – I also knew we had a special vulnerability, that I had a responsibility to activate our State Police and our intelligence centers, a place will be visiting tomorrow morning, as we make sure that there are no messages being shared on social media that could indicate there's an incitement to violence.

And what is terrifying to me is that there are other groups that are rising up, talking about this in a celebratory way – white supremacists, neo-Nazi groups, jihadists, all on social media, lauding this devastating event, which is still with us. So, we'll be on top of that for sure.

But what must give us peace is to know that the world is united with Israel tonight in a way that I don't believe it has been since the inception of this great concept of a democracy in the middle of the homeland 75 years ago – what a great vision it was to let people come back and celebrate the history and traditions and allow you to live in peace again.

We will fight to make sure that that peace is restored, that the terrorists know that they'll find no comfort here – not in this state, not in this country. They'll be called out. Yes, there will be a war. But it'll be a just war, because it's an attack on babies, children, grandmas, teenagers at a concert that will never, ever be forgotten.

Mark my words, I assure you as the Governor I will make sure that we leave no stone unturned to find out how we can make sure that every single one of you is safe when you gather, because that is your God given right to exercise your belief, your religion, your true identity.

I reflect upon a visit I had to a yeshiva not that long ago, as I was talking about our efforts to stop anti-Semitism, to make sure that the Holocaust is taught about in schools so the lessons are learned and understood, and there have been a number of instances in New York City where people were being attacked because of their attire.

This young man said, I'm not sure I should wear my yarmulke anymore because I'm afraid what they'll do to me on the street. I might get pushed over my friend said - he said don't wear it. I said, young man, you will wear that, because your ancestors before you have endured so much, but you honor them and those traditions and the great education and the beliefs that have been passed down to you and trusted to you because you will keep them whole and strong, but you'll also pass them on to the next generation.

That is the strength, the power, of the Jewish community and all of us honor that here tonight. We stand with Israel. Today I flew the flag over my own residence, the Governor's mansion, and they'll still be flying over your state's capital beginning Wednesday.

So, to Rabbi Weitzman, Cantor Short, I thank you for allowing me to share in this, Jeffrey Handelman, our board of directors, and all the elected officials who were named, thank you. Thank you for just being here. Thank you for saying this is a time for a community to come together in person, and to hug, and to touch, and to be so human, and to think about the people halfway across the world who are suffering tonight. We are all suffering with them.

Prayers are important. Keep them in your prayers. But by being out here tonight, you hold a candle high, they'll see across the world to know that we are with Israel. Thank you very much.

CONSUMER ALERT: DOS Division of Consumer Protection Reminds Domestic Violence Survivors & Advocates of Consumer Protections Available in NYS

 

October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Follow the New York Department of State on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for “Tuesday’s Tips” – Practical Tips to Educate and Empower New York Consumers on a Variety of Topics 

Secretary Rodriguez: “At the Department of State, we’re doing our part to help survivors with our Address Confidentiality Program, which is a cost-free service that shields the addresses of individuals who fear for their safety.” 

For this week’s “Tuesday’s Tips,” the New York Department of State’s Division of Consumer Protection and Address Confidentiality Program is reminding domestic violence survivors, victims and advocates of consumer protections available in the New York State marketplace. This reminder comes during National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, which is an opportunity to highlight this important issue and raise awareness while continuing to provide support to victims and survivors. Follow the New York Department of State on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and check in every Tuesday for more practical tips that educate and empower New York consumers on a variety of topics. Sign up to receive consumer alerts directly to your email or phone here.

“There’s no place for domestic and gender-based violence in New York State, but unfortunately it’s a reality that many individuals still face,” said Secretary of State Robert J. Rodriguez. “At the Department of State, we’re doing our part to help survivors with our Address Confidentiality Program, which is a cost-free service that shields the addresses of individuals who fear for their safety. We’re also spreading the word about the many other consumer protections available to survivors in New York State, because knowing what help is out there can equip survivors with the tools they need to get out of an abusive and dangerous relationship.”

New York State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence Executive Director Kelli Owens said, “"New York State and the Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence are dedicated to being survivor-centered, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive by supporting those affected by gender-based violence. Financial stability is critical to achieving survivor safety. Thank you, Secretary Rodriguez and the Department of State, for highlighting the rights and protections for survivors available here in New York."

Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance Acting Commissioner Barbara C. Guinn said, “These services are vital to help those who have experienced domestic violence stay safe and avoid negative economic consequences as they work to stabilize and rebuild their lives. The Address Confidentiality Program is particularly helpful for the safety of survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking. We’re pleased to help raise awareness of these resources as part of Domestic Violence Awareness Month.”

The following rights and protections are available to New York State domestic violence victims and survivors:

• Address Confidentiality: If you are a New York State resident and a victim of domestic violence, victim of stalking, victim of sexual offense, victim of human trafficking, victim of kidnapping or are a reproductive health care services provider, employee, volunteer, patient or immediate family member of reproductive health care services provider who has moved or are planning to move for safety reasons, the Department of State Address Confidentiality Program assists with shielding an address from an abuser at no cost to the victim. Domestic violence victims can also provide alternate address information for their telephone services directly through their service provider to prevent their abusers from finding out their actual address.
• Utility, wireless, telecommunication, cable and satellite service contract opt out: Domestic violence victims can request an opt-out of their service contract, in writing, without fee, penalty or charge if they are a victim of domestic violence and provide an attestation in writing of their eligibility as a victim of domestic violence.
• Identity Theft: Identity theft can be a challenge for domestic violence victims, but regularly examining credit reports, setting up fraud alerts and checking bank records are three tools to assist victims in preventing identity theft. Learn more here.
• Insurance: New York State Insurance Law prohibits any insurance policy providers from discriminating against someone because they are a domestic violence victim.
• Alternative Contact Information: Requires health insurers to provide an insurer or subscriber who is a victim of domestic violence, upon request of such insurer or subscriber, with the option to designate alternative contact information for the purpose of receiving specific claim information or for specific billing purposes.
• Smart Technology: New York State law allows domestic violence orders of protection to include prohibitions against remotely controlling any domestic violence victim’s connected devices.
• Workplace Protections: Victims of domestic violence, family offenses or human trafficking cannot be discriminated against for using leave accruals for sick time, family sick time or safe time related to such matters. Learn more here.
• Residential Lease Protections:
  • Lease Termination: A domestic violence victim may terminate a residential lease to support their safety, without liability, if they provide the landlord with a written 30-day notice. Then within 25 days of the written notice, the domestic violence victim must provide documentation to the landlord affirming their domestic violence status. Qualifying documentation includes one or more of the following: (1) an order of protection, (2) a law enforcement record or report documenting an act of domestic violence, (3) a health care provider record of treatment related to domestic violence, or (4) a written verification from a qualified third party to whom the tenant reported the domestic violence.
  • Discrimination Prohibited: Residential landlords cannot refuse to rent to or discriminate against a person or their accompanied child(ren) who are victims of either a criminal act or family offense of domestic violence. Domestic violence victims who are discriminated against may initiate a civil claim in court and may be awarded up to $2,000 and attorney’s fees.
  • Evictions Prohibited: Residential landlords cannot evict a tenant based on their domestic violence victim status. If a proceeding for eviction begins, a tenant may defend the proceeding by asserting their status as a domestic violence victim as the basis for the eviction. This protection does not apply to owner-occupied housing with two or fewer units. This protection also does not prohibit an eviction proceeding on grounds other than a tenant’s status as a victim of domestic violence.
• Membership Campground Contracts: Although a cancellation period for a membership campground may have passed, domestic violence victims can cancel their contract by submitting to the membership campground operator any one of these four domestic violence status affirming documents: a (1) valid domestic violence incident report, (2) police report, (3) a valid order of protection, or (4) a signed affidavit from a licensed medical or mental health care provider, employee of a court acting within the scope of his or her employment, social worker, a rape crisis counselor or domestic violence advocate.

About the New York State Division of Consumer Protection

The New York State Division of Consumer Protection serves to educate, assist and empower the State’s consumers. Consumers can file a complaint with the Division of Consumer Protection on their website at https://dos.ny.gov/consumer-protection. For more consumer protection information, call the DCP Helpline at 800-697-1220, Monday through Friday, 8:30am-4:30pm or follow DCP on social media on Twitter at @NYSConsumer or Facebook at www.facebook.com/nysconsumer.

About New York’s Address Confidentiality Program (ACP)

New York’s Address Confidentiality Program (ACP) allows victims of domestic violence, stalking, sexual offenses, human trafficking and kidnapping; and reproductive health care services providers, employees, volunteers, patients or immediate family members of reproductive health care services providers to shield their address. Other members of the same household (children, partners, parents or siblings) are also eligible to participate.

This free program is one tool that a victim may use in their overall safety plan. Once registered, participants are assigned a substitute address that they may use instead of their actual address. All state and local agencies are required to accept the substitute address. Any mail sent to a participant at the substitute address is processed by ACP staff and forwarded daily to the confidential location of the participant. For more, visit the ACP webpage at https://dos.ny.gov/address-confidentiality

About the Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence

The Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence (OPDV), created in 1992, is the country’s only executive level state agency dedicated to the issue of domestic violence. It replaced the former Governor’s Commission on Domestic Violence established in 1983.

The NYS Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence’s work is completed under four main bureaus: Sexual Assault Prevention, Policy, and Programming; Domestic Violence Prevention, Policy, and Programming; External Affairs, and Law and Public Safety.

To find more protections for New Yorkers suffering from domestic violence, visit the OPDV website at https://opdv.ny.gov/.

About the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance

The Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) is responsible for supervising programs that provide economic and other assistance and support to eligible families and individuals. This includes helping vulnerable New Yorkers meet their essential needs and advance economically by providing opportunities for stable employment, housing, and nutrition. For more information, visit https://otda.ny.gov/.

MAYOR ADAMS HOLDS VIGIL FOR VICTIMS OF TERRORIST ATTACKS IN ISRAEL

 

Deputy Mayor Levy: Thank you, everybody. Again, my name is Fabien Levy. I'm deputy mayor for Communications for the City of New York. But I am also here today as the son of Jewish parents who immigrated here from the Middle East almost 50 years ago.

As the son of a mother who was forced to flee Iraq as a young child and whose family sought refuge in Israel, as a brother, nephew, cousin and friend who have loved ones in Israel right now, some struggling to get home to New York, some putting on their uniform to serve their country in a time of war, and others who are just praying for their safety and their lives frightened in a bomb shelter.

Like all of you, I'm here standing in solidarity with the Jewish community and grieving for the innocent lives lost in Israel on Saturday in what was the single deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust.

This administration is proud to reflect the rich diversity of our city, and we are all here today to condemn this senseless violence and remember the innocent lives lost. The mayor often says that it's moments like this where we have to take the opportunity to turn our pain into purpose. I hope we can channel what we are all feeling here today and turn it into purposeful, thoughtful action so we can see an end to this violence and return to peace.

Before we begin, I'd like to introduce the broad coalition of allies we have here standing in strong support of Israel. From our administration, Maria Torres‑Springer, deputy mayor for Housing, Economic Development and Workforce; chief adviser to the mayor, Ingrid Lewis‑Martin; deputy chief of staff and senior advisor, Menashe Shapiro, senior adviser to the mayor, Joel Eisdorfer; Intergovernment Affairs Director Tiffany Raspberry; senior adviser to the mayor, Diane Savino; Community Affairs Commissioner Fred Kreizman; International Affairs Commissioner Ed Mermelstein; Sanitation Commissioner Jessica Tisch; Pastor Gil Monrose.

And then, from our advocates and elected officials, Itay Milner from the Israel Consulate here in New York; Yael Hashavit is also from the Israeli Consulate. U.S. Representative Gregory Meeks, U.S. Representative Dan Goldman; Public Advocate Jumaane Williams; Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso; Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson; Staten Island Borough President, Vito Fossella; Assemblymember Bobby Carroll; Assemblymember Taylor Darling; Assemblymember Yudelka Tapia; Assemblymember Sam Berger; Assemblymember Tony Simone; Assemblymember Michaelle Solages; Assemblymember Manny De Los Santos; Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte. Councilmember Gale Brewer; Councilmember Julie Menin; Councilmember Mercedes Narcisse; Councilmember Keith Powers; Councilmember Marjorie Velázquez.

We also have representatives from the New York Attorney General's office. We have a Rabbi David Goldwasser, Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, Rabbi Chanina Sperlin; Hindy Poupko, from UJA; Jonathan Greenblatt from the Anti‑Defamation League; Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove; Abigail Katzap from NYU.

I'd also like to thank the NYPD for keeping our city safe in this time.

And now I'd like to introduce New York City mayor, Eric Adams.

[Lighting of candles.]

Deputy Mayor Levy: I just want to add, Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanaugh, David Greenfield from the Met Council and Assemblymember Alex Bores also joined us but now, New York City mayor Eric Adams.

Mayor Eric Adams: And we also have Assemblywoman Tapia has also joined us. And really want to thank our federal lawmakers, both Congressman Goldman and Congressman Meeks. And I don't know if we have any other congressional delegations.

Can we just have a moment of silence and just really a moment of reflection of the lives lost and the family members who are still going through the uncertainty and the trauma that we are experiencing as a city. So, I just want to take a moment to just reflect on our humanity and just silence.

[Moment of silence.]

I am...I am devastated, and I am angry. And I am going to really refrain from allowing that anger to really display the human part of me. But I am in so much pain from what I saw and what I witnessed. Nothing can justify pulling innocent children from their homes, murdering them, dragging them through the streets, laying your feet across their bodies. Nothing can justify what we witnessed. Nothing can justify what we witnessed.

And my friends and associates that have been side by side with me for years, of different religious communities— the Sikh community, the Muslim community, the Christian community, the Jewish community— all the different communities have reached out to me and stated that what we witnessed was reprehensible and disgusting.

To state that that terrorist act that we saw cannot be defended anywhere on this globe. It is not acceptable what we witnessed in Israel— not acceptable.

And you cannot rationalize it. You cannot state that how it was done and why it was done. It was clear that it was anger, antisemitism at the highest level, and a total mindset of inflicting pain at one of the most holiest days of the year in a premeditated, barbaric action that is unacceptable and it will go down in the history as one of the most draconian disgusting acts you can ever witness.

And no one should be celebrating this— no one. Humanity should be angry. Yes, I stand with Israel. Yes, I stand with the Jewish community.

But most importantly, I stand with humanity. I stand with human behavior that should never reach this depth. This is what we fought for so long so many years. This is what we stood for. This city has the largest population of so many groups, from Muslims to Indians to Africans to South Americans, Central Americans; and, we also are the largest Jewish population outside of Israel.

This is who we are, and I'm watching what is playing out across the country. I'm watching protests where people are carrying swastikas not understanding does it...and how it impacts not only the heart of the Jewish community but those same swastika symbols were used when African Americans were attempted to fight for their freedom and their right to exist. This cuts across all lines ‑‑ all lines.

And so, I stand here today, my heart is broken. I stand here today in pain. But I wanted to stand by those candles as one at a time we light them, because we have to light our path for the future. We cannot allow the darkness of the actions we witnessed to turn us into who they are. That is what their goal is. But I'm clear: Israel has a right to defend itself. Israel has a right to protect itself.

And we need every one of those hostages to be returned home. We need them to be returned home.

And it is crucial that we do not allow anything to take us off of our pursuit of peace. All I can say to you as New Yorker, as the mayor of this city in all of its diversity, in all of its wonders, this is a painful day for our city and our country, and it's a painful day for humanity. Let's continue to lift each other up in prayer, and let's pray for the family members who lost their loved ones.

Let's pray for those family members are still wondering of the destiny of their family members. And I thank God our congressman was able to make his way back home. He was in Israel at the time, and he was able to come back safely.

Let's hope all are able to return safely to their families, to their loved ones, to their country. This is such a dark period, and we must find light and turn this painful moment into a purposeful moment. May God be with us all. Thank you very much.