Several Likud ministers canceled their scheduled appearance at a pro-Israel rally in New York on Sunday evening at the request of Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fuchs, approximately an hour and a half before it was scheduled to begin, N12 reported,
Fuchs made the request to minimize Likud’s ministerial presence in the rally, as there are “too many ministers,” as per the report.
Innovation, Science and Technology Minister Ofir Akunis and Economy Minister Nir Barkat both canceled their appearance as a result, N12 said.
Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism Minister Amichai Shikli did not receive such a request since his role warrant his participation, N12 added.
“The march is a blessed thing. One or two representatives are enough, but a half a government is unnecessary,” the prime minister’s office said in response to a query.
Noa Tishby is seen marching as part of Celebrate Israel Parade in New York City on June 4, 2026 (credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)Israel wishing to avoid judicial reform protests in New York
The prime minister’s office did not immediately respond as to why it was a problem for more than one or two ministers to march.
N12 suggested that the real motivation behind the request not to participate in the march was to avoid embarrassing scenes of protests by Israeli expats and American Jews who oppose the government’s judicial reform.
The ministers in New York who were scheduled to participate in the parade also included Aliyah and Integration Minister Ofir Sofer (Religious Zionist Party), Public Diplomacy Minister Galit Distal Atbaryan (Likud), Jerusalem Affairs and Jewish Tradition Minister Meir Porush (United Torah Judaism), Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu (Otzmah Yehudit) and Labor Minister Yoav Ben-Tzur (Shas).
The MKs scheduled to participate were Simcha Rothman (RZP), Vladimir Beliak (Yesh Atid), Yitzhak Pindrus (UTJ), Michal Waldiger (RZP), Ohad Tal (RZP), Shalom Danino (Likud), Sharon Nir (Yisrael Beiteinu), Evgeny Sova (Yisrael Beytenu), Orit Farkash-HaCohen (National Unity Party) and Ram Ben Barak (Yesh Atid).
One of the protest movements against the government’s judicial reforms wrote in response, “The defendant [Netanyahu] and his coalition have understood: The protestors will protest and stress the illegitimacy of the dictatorial government. The American administration knowns that this is an illegitimate government acting against the will of the people and therefore has not invited Netanyahu to the US, and tough protests today would only have strengthened the American administration’s position.”
“So actually, the ministers and Knesset members of the ‘Bibist’ party went for a vacation in New York at our expense. Add this to the NIS 14 billion that the citizens of Israel are paying this year so that the defendant can evade his [criminal] trial,”
Celebrate Israel Parade kicks off in New York
The Celebrate Israel Parade is an annual event in New York City around Israel’s Independence Day, and this year’s parade is the 58th in a row. This year also celebrates the country’s 75th anniversary, the Consulate General of Israel in New York and the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York (JCRC-NY) announced on Tuesday.
The organizers did not invite the government representatives and therefore it isn’t in their control, while some MKs can potentially surprise them and show up.
They stressed that there will be different types of Jewish organizations represented in the parade, such as the progressive Ameinu organization and Orthodox Jewish day schools. “Most people at the parade don’t come for the Israeli ministers, they come because they want to support Israel,” one of the organizers said.
President Isaac Herzog recorded a special video in honor of the parade, intended to be published before the event itself, in order to cool down the political tensions. Talks are currently taking place at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem to try to reach a compromise over the judicial reforms. In the video, Herzog said: “Let us take this opportunity to work together in solidarity and to remind ourselves of the power of our unity and togetherness of the spirit of peace and fraternity, to build, to renew and to heal.”
He added that “now more than ever, I urge you all to join me in supporting the Israel parade, as we mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of the State of Israel. Let us raise our voices together to celebrate everything we’ve achieved and everything we have yet to build together for our shared future, and the future of our children.”
Zvika Klein contributed to this report.
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