NYC Synagogue Hosts Controversial Real Estate Expo Promoting West Bank Settlement Sales

The Great Israeli Real Estate Event, a controversial showcase promoting property sales in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories, held an event at Park East Synagogue in Manhattan’s Upper East Side on Tuesday. The expo, which assists potential buyers with relocation issues such as taxes and education, drew sharp criticism from Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who expressed concerns over the promotion of land sales that violate international law.

Mamdani’s spokesperson, Sam Raskin, stated that the event undermines Palestinian rights by facilitating transactions in settlements deemed illegal under international law. The expo’s website prominently featured Gush Etzion, a cluster of West Bank settlements south of Jerusalem, further fueling concerns about the promotion of territory claimed by Israel but contested internationally. Lara Friedman of the Foundation for Middle East Peace highlighted how such events reinforce the notion that all of the occupied territories are part of “Eretz Yisrael,” or the land of Israel, a perspective tied to broader settler colonial narratives.

The event also raised ethical questions about discrimination, as past real estate fairs in similar settings have faced allegations of targeting Jewish buyers exclusively. Pro-Palestinian group Pal-Awda announced plans for a protest outside the synagogue, while self-proclaimed supporters of the Jewish community circulated calls for a counter-protest to protect the venue. These developments underscore the deepening divide over how such events are perceived—either as tools of ethnic cleansing or as expressions of Jewish national identity.