Martin Oliner
Martin Oliner | |
|---|---|
| Mayor of Lawrence, New York | |
| In office 2010–2016 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1947 (age 78–79) |
| Spouse | Reva Oliner |
Martin Oliner is an American attorney, former politician, and Zionist activist, serving as chairman of the Religious Zionists of America.[1]
Career
Oliner served as mayor of Lawrence, New York, from 2010 to 2016.[2][3][4]
In 2020, Oliner was appointed to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council by President Donald Trump.[2][5]
Gaza War comments
A contributor to The Jerusalem Post, in February 2025 Oliner wrote that "The people of Gaza are collectively guilty” for the October 7, 2023 attack, adding "They are fundamentally evil, and they must pay a price for their actions."[6][7][8]
On March 27, 2025, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) issued a statement calling for Oliner's removal from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council following a video was released from a May 2024 Israel Heritage Foundation event in attended by Ofir Akunis, then the recently appointed Israeli consul general in New York.[9]
In the video, Oliner said in a message directed towards Akunis that "You, as a representative in America, as general consul, have to take back the views of this group, which I think are pretty clear: that the state of Israel has to do what it has to do,” adding, “Look, we’ve been accused of genocide, so maybe it’s up to us to actually kill civilians.”[10]
References
- ^ Malhi, Sabrina (2017-05-03). "US-Israel relationship: More critical than ever". TheHill. Archived from the original on 2021-09-26. Retrieved 2026-01-27.
- ^ a b Bessen, Jeff (2020-12-30). "Lawrence resident Martin Oliner appointed to Holocaust council". Herald Community Newspapers. Retrieved 2026-01-27.
- ^ Simon, Ruth; Scism, Leslie; Steinberg, Julie (2012-12-07). "Is Your Homeowners Insurance Falling Short?". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2026-01-27.
- ^ Nahmias, Jacob Gershman And Laura (2012-11-26). "Recovery Efforts Left Many Towns Adrift". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2026-01-27.
- ^ "President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Appoint Individuals to Key Administration Posts – The White House". trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov. Retrieved 2026-01-27.
- ^ Zhang, Sharon (2025-02-05). "Trump Holocaust Memorial Pick Says Palestinians Are "Fundamentally Evil"". Truthout. Retrieved 2026-01-27.
- ^ Oliner, Martin (2025-02-01). "Trump's Gaza relocation plan could reshape the Middle East". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 2026-01-27.
- ^ "Letters | No lasting Israel-Gaza peace without Palestinian rights". South China Morning Post. 2025-10-14. Retrieved 2026-01-27.
- ^ "CAIR Renews Call for Removal of US Holocaust Memorial Council Member Who Says 'Maybe We Need to Kill More Civilians' in Gaza". 2025-03-27. Retrieved 2026-01-27.
- ^ Stellmacher, Glen (2025-03-27). "'Maybe we need to kill more civilians': speaker at pro-Israel event". Prism. Retrieved 2026-01-27.