City Councilmember Carlos Menchaca (D-Sunset Park/Red Hook) is building a wall between himself and the Jewish community – particularly with Orthodox Jewish constituents in the sliver of Borough Park his district includes – and the barrier could cost him in this year’s re-election bid.
That after Jewish sources told KCP that both City Councilman David Greenfield and Assemblyman Dov Hikind – normally not the best of friends – have vowed to come together to defeat Menchaca for his continued stances against Israel.
Menchaca’s latest dig at Israel comes as he blasted a “Fave new chant” video all over social media featuring his loud and vocal chant, “All the walls have got to go, from Palestine to Mexico.”
“He’s [Menchaca] a freak’n idiot. Is he aware that wall is there to keep terrorists from murdering men, women and children and it’s actually worked,” said Hikind. “Is he aware terrorists used to explode themselves in restaurants and in bus stations and the street without reason and this didn’t happen in the West Bank.”
This is not Menchaca’s first brush with issuing anti-Israeli rhetoric and votes. In the past, he even came to Hikind’s office and apologized, garnering the state lawmaker’s blessing. But after Menchaca’s social media blasts, Hikind is no longer in the forgiving mood.
“To make the comparison that Israel building a security wall to save lives is comparable to building a wall on the Mexican border shows what an ignorant fool he is. This is not about someone with a different point of view, this is about ignorance and Mencahca is ignorant,” said Hikind.
Menchaca said he will always defend American freedom of speech, and the right to speak-out about one’s beliefs.
“That is what I am witnessing from New Yorkers every day in this resistance movement,” said Menchaca. “It offends me, that the White House uses walls as the ultimate answer to everything. I support the rights of all people to live in peace and security including Israelis and Palestinians, and our families who live on the U.S.-Mexican border, where I was born and raised. I do not support borders without controls. I do support realistic and humane borders and immigration policies.”
Jewish sources say the brouhaha comes as Assemblyman Felix Ortiz (D-Sunset Park/Red Hook) is strongly considering a run against Menchaca in this year’s city council race. Among those urging him to run are Orthodox Jewish leaders from both Borough Park and citywide, who have promised him their support.
Ortiz is expected to make his decision within the next few weeks, probably sooner rather than later, Jewish sources say.
