Wall Street. New York loves Israel. The “Statement of Support for Israel by the Asset Management Community”. -IsraelValley

The Wall Street elite mobilizes against anti-Semitism: a historic declaration of support for Israel.

An unprecedented gathering of prominent names in global finance has produced an unequivocal statement of support for Israel, warning against employing hate mongers. Led by Wall Street mogul Bill Ackman, head of the Pershing Square hedge fund, the initiative quickly gained the support of hundreds of leading financial institutions, giving rise to the “Statement of Support for Israel by the Community of asset managers”.

This declaration, while concise in its wording, carries the considerable weight of half a trillion dollars or more in assets managed by its signatories. She categorically states that the attack on Israel is an attack on them all. Financial leaders say the Israeli nation, with its innovations, is helping to make the world a better place.

The statement takes a strong stance against indifference toward the suffering of Jews and condemns those who accuse or celebrate hatred toward them. It clearly announces that supporters of hatred will have no place in their societies or in their communities.

The impressive list of signatures brings together the elite of Wall Street, particularly highlighting hedge funds. Among the signatories are prominent figures such as Paul Singer of Elliott Management, an aggressive investor and activist, as well as Michael Steinhart, founder of Wisdom Tree Capital, which once managed $65 billion.

Bill Ackman, leading this mobilization, has emerged as a staunch defender of Israel, transforming his public social media profile to thoroughly document events in Israel since the October 7 attack. His commitment is not limited to the virtual sphere, as he has recently made significant donations, including sending private planes with supplies for evacuees and soldiers.

An unexpected element of this mobilization is the participation of generally discreet figures, such as David Einhorn, director of the hedge fund Greenlight Capital. Einhorn, a colorful and esteemed figure in the United States, is also a renowned poker player, with a personal fortune exceeding $1 billion according to Forbes.

This initiative by the citizens of Wall Street echoes the recent letter sent by 24 major American law firms to the deans of 100 university law schools. In the letter, these firms stated that they would not hire graduates expressing anti-Semitic views or participating in violent events against the Jewish community.

Beyond the statements, a group of influential donors have already announced the suspension of their donations to universities in response to revelations of anti-Semitism on campus. Among the key figures in this “protest against the stock market”, Leslie Wexner, founder of Victoria’s Secret, and Mark Rowan, CEO of Apollo Management, one of the largest private investment funds in the world, took the helm of this initiative.

Mark Rowan, particularly active in the debate, held a Zoom conference call with Wall Street leaders to discuss ways to use financial leverage to replace university leaders deemed ineffective in combating anti-Semitism. This mobilization of the American financial elite demonstrates an unprecedented commitment to Israel and against anti-Semitism, shaping discourse and actions in areas beyond the financial sphere.

Jforum.fr