Florida man charged with threatening to kill Israelis in call to World Jewish Congress

Deep Alpesh Kumar Patel, a 21-year-old Sarasota resident, faces up to five years in federal prison if convicted

By ANDREW LAPIN

NOVEMBER 2, 2023 20:27

People wearing antisemitism and nazi symbols argue with conservatives during a protest outside the Tampa Convention Center where the Turning Point USA’s (TPUSA) Student Action Summit (SAS) is held, in Tampa, Florida, U.S. July 23, 2022. (photo credit: REUTERS/MARCO BELLO) — People wearing antisemitism and nazi symbols argue with conservatives during a protest outside the Tampa Convention Center where the Turning Point USA’s (TPUSA) Student Action Summit (SAS) is held, in Tampa, Florida, U.S. July 23, 2022.

(photo credit: REUTERS/MARCO BELLO)

A Florida man has been charged with transmitting an interstate threat after he allegedly called the New York headquarters of a major Jewish organization and said he wanted to “kill every single one of you Israelis.”

Deep Alpesh Kumar Patel, a 21-year-old Sarasota resident, faces up to five years in federal prison if convicted, according to an announcement by the United States Attorney’s Office for the region.

The affidavit against Patel says that on Oct. 21, he called the New York headquarters of the World Jewish Congress and said, “If I had a chance, I would kill every single one of you Israelis. Every single one of you. Cause mass genocide of every single Israeli.”

What is the World Jewish Congress?

The World Jewish Congress is a nonprofit advocacy group led by Ronald Lauder, a billionaire heir to the Estée Lauder fortune and a longtime Republican donor. It recently opened a branch in the Vatican, a first for any Jewish organization.

World Jewish Congress President Ronald S. Lauder in his office. (credit: NOA GRAYEVSKY)

Patel’s arrest comes amid a rise in antisemitic rhetoric and actions both in the US and around the world following Israel’s military response in the Gaza Strip to the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas that killed more than 1,400 Israelis. In recent days, a Cornell University student was arrested for threatening Jewish students at the school and a Las Vegas man was arrested for directing antisemitic death threats at a Jewish senator.

“These arrests are a reminder of the never-ending task of surfacing threats that lurk across the country,” Michael Masters, head of the Secure Community Network, said in a statement about Patel’s arrest.