Exclusive | Michael Blake blasts Rep. Ritchie Torres’ pro-Israel stance –

A Democrat challenger to Rep. Ritchie Torres blasted the Bronx politician as beholden to pro-Israel lobbying group – after deleting social media posts showing him rubbing elbows with the same organization.

Former Bronx Assemblyman Michael Blake, who is looking to unseat Torres in a Democratic Party primary next year, scrubbed posts touting his attendance at an event by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) as he went on a tirade against the three-term incumbent.

“I am ready to fight for you and lower your cost of living while Ritchie fights for a Genocide,” said Blake, who finished eighth in a ranked-choice Democratic primary for New York City mayor.

“I will focus on Affordable Housing and Books as Ritchie will only focus on AIPAC and [Israeli Prime Minister] Bibi [Netanyahu]. I will invest in the community. Ritchie invests in Bombs. I want to end credit scores for housing. Ritchie only wants to take credit.”

But Blake had previously taken a pro-Israel stance and attended AIPAC events from 2014 to 2017.

“Honored to share the AIPAC stage,” Blake under the handle MikeBlake1922 gushed on March 28, 2017, while attending an AIPAC event.

He even posted a photo of Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu talking about “compassion of the people@AIPAC.”

Blake cross-endorsed Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani before the June Democratic primary, which saw Torres endorse ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Torres didn’t endorse Mamdani after he won the primary and went on to win in the general election last week.

Torres also flirted with running for governor, fiercely attacking Democratic incumbent Kathy Hochul before backing off and deciding to run for re-election to his 15th District House seat.

Other lefty Democrats have joined Blakeman to file primary challenges to try to knock off incumbents in the wake of democratic socialist Mamdani’s victory, including Brooklyn Councilman Chi Osse, whom The Post reported Sunday is gearing up to primary House Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

New York Jewish activists slammed Blakeman for flipping on Israel as an opportunistic and soulless ploy to win office.

“When you delete every pro-Israel post you ever made on the eve of an election, you’re not just throwing your Jewish friends under the bus — you’re deleting your sincerity and integrity in the process,” said Mark Treyger, executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council.

“At a time of rising hate and deep division, New Yorkers need leaders who are honest, honorable, and inclusive, with the utmost integrity — not ones who deepen division and rewrite their values every election cycle,” he said.

Brooklyn Assemblyman Simcha Eichenstein said of Blakeman’s turn on Israel, “So who is the real
@MrMikeBlake ? Just a few months ago , when he asked me to endorse him in the mayoral primary (despite his inability to garner even 1% of the vote), he referred to himself as the most pro-Israel candidate in the race, with a record to reflect that.

“Did all that change when he was looking for an angle to challenge @RitchieTorres?”

Torres campaign spokesman Benjamin Stanislawski responded, “Michael Blake is not interested in the Bronx; he’s only interested in using it to run for office for the fifth time, and the result will be the same as before: another loss.

“There’s a reason Bronx voters trust Ritchie Torres. He’s been their champion in Congress, laser-focused on issues like public housing and affordability while standing up to Donald Trump. That’s why he’s going to win again next year.”

Blake had no immediate comment.

Torres is a former city councilman who represents the 15th Congressional District, which stretches from the north to the south Bronx and includes the neighborhoods of Allerton, Bathgate, Baychester, Belmont, Claremont, Fordham, Melrose, Morrisania, Morris Park, Mott Haven, Riverdale, Spuyten Duyvil, Tremont, Olinville, Norwood, Highbridge , Van Nest, West Farms, Williamsbridge and Woodlawn.