A prestigious consortium of investors, billionaires, and executives have been reported to have formed a private WhatsApp group to manipulate public sentiment during the Israel-Hamas conflict, with certain members later engaging in a Zoom call with New York mayor Eric Adams to advocate for a police response to protests at Columbia University. The prominent group, which included individuals such as Daniel Lubetzky, founder of Kind snack company, hedge fund executive Daniel Loeb, billionaire Len Blavatnik, and real estate investor Joseph Sitt, allegedly strategized on how to pressure Columbia leadership into requesting the mayor to deploy the NYPD for additional arrests on campus, a request that was subsequently fulfilled a few days later.
During the Zoom call, participants purportedly discussed making donations to the mayor and procuring private investigators to aid the NYPD in managing protesters, with a member of the chat group implying that Mayor Adams had acquiesced to this offer. This meeting was part of a broader campaign by members of the WhatsApp group, which reportedly included former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, Dell founder and CEO Michael Dell, billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman, and investor Joshua Kushner, the brother of Jared Kushner, who served as a senior advisor in the Trump administration.
In response to inquiries about the alleged meeting and its contents, the mayor’s office issued a statement attributed to deputy mayor Fabien Levy, denying any influence on decision-making processes by external factors.
Furthermore, group members are said to have attended briefings with former Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett, Israeli ambassador to the US Michael Herzog, and Israeli war cabinet member Benny Gantz following the October conflict. The WhatsApp group is purportedly the brainchild of a staff member of real estate magnate Barry Sternlicht, established after the Hamas surprise attack on Israel on 7 October, with the aim of reshaping the narrative surrounding the conflict to favour Israel by spotlighting “the atrocities committed by Hamas…to all Americans,” as reported by The Washington Post.
These purported actions and discussions by the influential group have stirred controversy and raised concerns about the impact of financiers on government operations and public dialogue. The alleged April meeting, interactions with Israeli officials, and efforts to shape public discourse underscore the intricate nexus between major corporations, political figures, and international conflicts. The repercussions of these revelations on public opinion and the actions of those implicated remain to be seen.
In this unfolding narrative, it is imperative for the public to remain well-informed, discerning, and cognizant of the complexities of global conflicts and the role of influential individuals and entities in shaping public opinion. As more information surfaces and discussions continue, it is crucial to scrutinize the actions and motivations of those in positions of authority, holding them accountable for their impact on governmental decisions and public perception. The significance of these disclosures in shaping broader discussions on Israel, Palestine, and global conflicts should not be underestimated.