Ofir Akunis, Israel's Consul General in New York, said at an event held by the consulate to mark Israel's 78th Independence Day: "We are the only democracy in the Middle East, an economic and technological powerhouse." He later sent a message to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, without naming him: "Despite all our achievements, there are many who are not willing to recognize our existence. They criticize us automatically without knowing what they are talking about."