BLAS' PEACE PLAN
Big advice in Israel visit: ‘Move forward’
With Israel teetering on the brink of another intifada, Mayor de Blasio offered its leaders his vision for peace: “Move things forward.”
Hizzoner, on a whirlwind tour of the country, called for a “greater understanding” Saturday amid escalating attacks this month that have left almost 50 people dead.
State Republican spokeswoman Jessica Proud ridiculed de Blasio’s message as simplistic.
“Classic liberal utopian naivete,” she told The Post. “If simply calling for peace and understanding of each other’s differences would work, it would have been done a long time ago. It’s classic liberal mentality to think that changing tone with flowery rhetoric is effective foreign policy.”
Proud also urged the mayor to “tread very lightly” politically to prevent the New York City’s Jewish community from perceiving him as sympa thetic to the Palestinians.
During a visit to an IsraeliPalestinian school in Beit Shemesh, de Blasio said: “It’s a painful moment here in Israel. This has to stop, obviously.”
The mayor acknowledged the difficulty of securing a lasting peace in the region — and copped to his limited grasp of the complex problem.
“I don’t want to pretend to understand the nuances of the situation,” he said. “I think it is important as an outsider to not claim to know more than I do. I think this is a larger human reality that peace is necessary.”
De Blasio pledged solidarity with the Israeli people during his threeday jaunt to the Holy Land.
He also condemned the savagery of recent attacks.
“Look, these are attacks on civilians,” he said. “No one should be condoning attacks against civilians.”
Israeli financier and Brooklyn resident Baruch Eliezer Gross paid $25,000 for the mayor and his aides’ airfare, lodging and expenses.
The city’s Conflict of Interest Board approved Gross’ contribution.
De Blasio said the donation saved taxpayers the cost of the trip and called the gift “absolutely appropriate.”
This is de Blasio’s fourth trip to Israel and his first as mayor.
Engaging in foreign policy as a New York City mayor is politically risky, political consultants say.
“The problems come not from a the international community but from your own constituents if you err,” said George Arzt, a Democratic consultant.
But the benefits of the mayor engaging in IsraeliPalestinian issues outweigh the political risks, others say.
“The fact that Mayor de Blasio is pushing for peace and common understanding is encouraging especially at this critical moment in the region,” said 270 Strategies cofounder Jeremy Bird, who opposes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration.
De Blasio considered a visit to the West Bank during his trip, aides said, but the excursion was shelved over security concerns.