Israel’s Foreign Ministry publicly mocked Democratic congressional nominee Brad Lander after he claimed Israeli forces detained him during a West Bank olive harvest.
The ministry fired back on X, accusing the former New York City comptroller of staging a political stunt rather than participating in genuine activism. Lander, 55, had filmed himself aboard a bus Wednesday claiming he was being held by the Israel Defense Forces alongside rabbis and volunteers.
“This was not about harvesting olives,” the ministry wrote on X. “It was about harvesting headlines. Brad Lander’s latest stunt is nothing more than a calculated political provocation.”
The official Israeli government account piled on, alleging Lander’s own team had been briefed on proper procedures beforehand. “Lander traveled to a foreign country, deliberately entered a restricted security area, and participated in an unauthorized activity without the required coordination,” it posted. “Brad Lander came looking for a confrontation. Now he is pretending to be its victim.”
Lander has made criticism of Israel a centerpiece of his campaign. He has accused the Jewish state of committing genocide in Gaza, turning the issue into a defining feature of his run for Congress.
The nominee is a close ally of fellow progressive Zohran Mamdani, who won a stunning upset in New York’s mayoral primary earlier this year. Lander pulled off his own surprise victory in June, defeating incumbent Rep. Dan Goldman in the Democratic primary for New York’s 10th congressional district.
That district spans lower Manhattan and brownstone Brooklyn, covering one of the most liberal patches of the country. Lander is now heavily favored to win the general election in November.
The olive harvest incident marks the latest flashpoint in Lander’s confrontational approach to Israeli-Palestinian politics. His decision to travel to the West Bank and participate in the harvest appeared designed to draw attention to Palestinian agricultural rights and Israeli military restrictions on access.
The IDF maintains security control over much of the West Bank and frequently restricts movement in areas it designates as closed military zones. International activists and Israeli peace groups have long participated in olive harvests as a form of solidarity with Palestinian farmers, though such activities sometimes lead to clashes with settlers or military authorities.
Lander filmed himself during the apparent detention, turning the moment into immediate social media content. The Israeli government’s rapid response suggests officials were monitoring his activities and prepared to counter his narrative in real time.
A spokesperson for Lander did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the foreign ministry’s accusations.
Lander is expected to appear at a campaign event in Brooklyn next week.