Ahead of Netanyahu's visit to the United States, organizers of the "Kaplan protest" arranged an evening of fundraising for the protest, with a prize list. Among the prizes was one for those who donated 20,000 shekels, which included a coffee meeting with Shikma Bressler and the title "VIP organizer." However, it was deleted after residents of New York expressed anger, saying, "The attitude toward us is like a wallet in motion."
According to reports on the Ynet website, members of the protest gathered information about Prime Minister Netanyahu's visit to New York in order to protest against him during his stay. They distributed the schedule of the delegation in WhatsApp groups to organize protest vigils in front of the hotel where Netanyahu is staying and outside the Prime Minister's policy meetings.
The day before the protest, several leaders of the left-wing movement will arrive in New York and organize a fundraising evening for their protest against the Prime Minister. The event will take place at Eyal Shani's restaurant in New York. In a post published ahead of the evening, the leaders of the protest wrote: "Come to meet the Israeli protest movement and support the Kaplan Power in saving Israel's democracy!"
For $20,000: A meeting with Shikma Bressler
In a publication aimed at New York residents, it is written in English that "This is a fundraising campaign for Kaplan - the only organization that produces and operates the weekly protests in Koflan, Tel Aviv, where hundreds of thousands have come out every Saturday for nine months to express their unwavering support for democracy. Kaplan is the life saver and lighthouse of the protest movement. Kaplan protests cost over $100,000 per week. Please donate generously. Israel needs you!"
Additionally, in order to attend the fundraising event, residents will need to part with $40, and those who also donate will receive protest T-shirts and titles such as "Defender of Democracy." Anyone who donates $1,000 will also receive a mug and a thank-you letter from Shikma Bressler. And those who contribute $10,000 or $20,000 will be "rewarded" with a meeting with Shikma Bressler and a behind-the-scenes tour of the protest.
After several New York residents complained about the price list and claimed it was emotional manipulation to get them to donate, as well as accusing them of being treated as a "walking wallet," the "price list" post was deleted. The leaders of the protest argued that it was a "editing mistake" and that Shikma Bressler does not require money to meet with her. Additionally, they claimed that it was simply a private initiative that was not coordinated with Bressler.
On Tuesday, Netanyahu will attend the UN assembly
As previously mentioned in the statement from the Prime Minister's Office, Netanyahu will begin his visit next Sunday in Silicon Valley, California, where he is expected to meet with leading figures in the field of artificial intelligence to promote business deals in the sector. In parallel, Channel 12 News reported that Netanyahu will also meet, among others, with the CEO of Tesla and of Twitter, Elon Musk.
On Tuesday, Netanyahu will arrive in New York, where he will participate in the annual UN General Assembly, during which he is expected to hold meetings with numerous world leaders and address the assembly on September 21st.
However, the official schedule from the Prime Minister's Office indicates that Netanyahu will not be traveling to Washington, confirming that the expected meeting with US President Joe Biden will take place in New York and not at the White House. Netanyahu will return to Israel on Saturday evening, shortly before the onset of Yom Kippur.