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Volume XXI • Number 27 • July 3 - 9, 2014 •
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The State Senate campaign turns ugly, very ugly Oliver Koppell’s campaign to unseat incumbent Senator Jeff Klein appears to be in disarray after the former Councilman was forced to fire his campaign manager, Robert Akleh. Mr. Akleh, a Brooklyn resident who is a former organizer for the far-left Working Families Party was discovered to have posted a number of anti-Israel statements which some feel crossed the line into anti-Semitism, on social media sites, including Facebook.. According to the New York Post, on September 21, 2011, “the same day President Obama told the United Nations that America’s commitment to Israel was unshakable, Akleh wrote on Facebook, ‘We live in the United States of Israel,’” The following year, the Post continued, “Akleh was again railing against the Jewish state — this time for upsetting his outing to a Mets game. ‘Just my luck. I go to Citi Field to watch the Mets game and it turns out to be celebrate Israel night smh!!!! [shaking my head]’ he complained on May 30, 2012.” When first given information that Akleh was antagonistic to the Jewish state, Koppell, in conversation with this newspaper,
Pro-Klein supporters apparently “scared off” a pro-Koppell demonstration outside of the district office in Morris Park, which is shared by Klein and Assemblymember Mark Gjonaj. was defensive and supportive of his campaign aide, charging that the criticism of Akleh “smacked of McCarthyism.”
Koppell called Akleh “an Israeli Christian,” careful to note that Akleh was not a member of the Muslim faith. Koppell was
referring to remarks that Akleh made in an article in the Daily Beast about the “Boycott, Divestiture and Sanctions” campaign against Israel describing Akleh’s participation a Brooklyn event supporting BDS. The following day, last Tuesday, Koppell learned of Akleh’s anti-Israel screeds when confronted by reporters for the New York Post. It was after that conversation that he fired Akleh. Koppell admitted that he hadn’t done research into Akleh’s social media posts, but expressed no skepticism or concern over the relationship Akleh had with the far-left Working Families Party, noting that “Dinowitz also has Working Families Party support.” While Dinowitz was less willing to defend his own largely meaningless connection with the Working Families Party, he
was quick to defend his former friend and ally, Oliver Koppell, on the issue of Israel. “I don’t question Oliver’s commitment to Israel,” Dinowitz stated. “That is why it came as such a shock that his campaign manager was such an ardent and outspoken opponent of Israel. I hope in the future Oliver does a better job vetting his employees. And I wonder what his former campaign manager has to say about the vicious murders of three Israeli teens by some of the people he seems to support.” Koppell also defended possible support from the organization now known as “New York Communities for Change,” the radical organization that was once known as ACORN. Investigations and scandal caused the group to officially change its name. Continued on Page 2
Montefiore readies new plans
The sky over Orchard Beach was lit up on Friday, June 27, 2014, when Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and State Senator Jeff Klein co-hosted their annual “New York Salutes America” fireworks extravaganza. The event kicked off Independence Day celebrations across the five boroughs. --Photo by Robert Benimoff
The Riverdale Review has learned from informed sources, that Montefiore Hospital is on the cusp of revising their plans for a health care facility on a plot of land that lies between Riverdale and Oxford Avenues, south of West 238th St. The Hospital intends to submit their plans within a month, and
is setting up meetings with members of the community and of the Community Board to discuss the new proposal. The Land Use Committee of the Community Board will set up the new meetings, and it was learned that pains are being taken to include even the most vociferous opponents of the plan.