Exclusive | Dem NY comptroller candidate pledges to divest from Israel, accuses Netanyahu of war crimes

ALBANY – Insurgent Democratic candidate for state comptroller Raj Goyle wants to fully divest $338 million in foreign assets — including Israel bonds — from New York’s retirement fund, he told a gathering of Working Families Party supporters recently.

Goyle, a tech executive and lawyer, is staking out the anti-Israel position in his long-shot bid to unseat longtime Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, who has stood by the state’s “Israel bond” holdings.

“I’m here to tell you that when I am comptroller, we will not renew the foreign bond portfolio of the state comptroller’s office and that includes Israel bonds,” Goyle said during an event kicking off the party’s lefty “Working Families Party Guarantee” agenda. 

“We will not send a blank check for Benjamin Netanyahu’s war crimes in Gaza,” the ex-Kansas state legislator said.

The Common Retirement Fund, one of the largest and most robust pension funds in the country, is run by the state comptroller’s office and manages pensions for state and municipal workers.

The CRF currently holds about $337.5 million in Israel bonds, as part of a massive $291 billion investment portfolio.

“They’re stable, they’re guaranteed, they’ve never had a problem and it’s a good investment,” Assemblyman David Weprin (D-Queens), former chair of the New York City Council Finance Committee, told The Post.

Weprin, who is supportive of DiNapoli’s handling of the Israel bonds, said they’re a good way to back a US ally with deep ties to New York.

“At the same time you’re making a good investment, you’re sending a message to the pro-Israel community,” Weprin said.

Goyle’s campaign argues that credit rating agency Moody’s downgrading of Israel’s credit rating following the Oct. 7, 2023 attack by Hamas is enough reason to consider it a “risky” investment, and that the state should not be leveraging its pension fund to support Israel.

“Raj Goyle has a laser focus on investing in and protecting New York. Instead of playing politics and chasing mediocre returns with risky foreign bonds like Tom DiNapoli, Raj will put more money in the pockets of New Yorkers and use the office to fight the affordability crisis plaguing the state,” Goyle’s campaign manager, Jyot Singh, told The Post in a statement.

“At a bare minimum, public pension dollars should not be funding human rights violations abroad,” Singh added.

DiNapoli’s campaign declined to comment.

The incumbent comptroller invested an additional $20 million in Israel bonds in the aftermath of Hamas’ Oct. 7 massacre.

“In addition to providing a steady return for our pension fund’s members, Israel bonds help support one of our nation’s strongest allies,” DiNapoli said in a statement at the time.

“I am heartened that so many other public funds have stepped forward to purchase bonds and support Israel, the only democratic government in the region, during these tragic and challenging days.”

DiNapoli has run on the Working Families Party’s ballot line in all of his re-election campaigns since 2014.

Former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander notably refused to renew some Israel bonds in the city’s pension fund, a separate entity, in 2025.

DiNapoli currently faces a primary challenge from Goyle along with former housing non-profit CEO Drew Warshaw and ex-Brooklyn congressional candidate Adem Bunkeddeko.

Joseph Hernandez has declared a bid to challenge DiNapoli on the GOP line.