Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele will speak later this month at the Israel Day Concert, a pro-Israeli settlement rally in New York’s Central Park.
Think Progress reported this afternoon and the RNC confirmed that Steele will address the crowd on May 23. According to Think Progress, it’s the 17th annual concert and is sponsored by groups that support the Jewish takeover of Palestinian neighborhoods, Friends of Ateret Cohanim and the Hebron Fund.
From the Think Progress report, which calls on Steele to withdraw based on the group’s position on settlements:
The event is intended to build support for increasing the number of Jewish settlers in occupied Palestinian territory, which successive U.S. administrations have identified as an obstacle to peace and detrimental to U.S. interests.
The promotional materials make clear that the event is dedicated to preventing the creation of a Palestinian state, which both the Bush and Obama administrations have said is an important U.S. national security interest. The poster advertising the event declares:
No! to the division of Jerusalem ever.
No! to the surrender of any part of Israel.
No! to the expulsion of Jews from Judea and Samaria. [The West Bank]
Organizers say they are expecting 20,000 attendees. Here’s a PDF of the concert flyer. The group’s Web site features a smiling photo of Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY).
There also is an Israel Day parade scheduled for May 23, an event which will feature some notable New York politicians including Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and Rep. Charles Rangel.