Palestinian diplomat who touts terrorist that killed Israelis lives in $11K-per-month NYC apartment – alarming Jewish neighbors
Majed Bamya, the Palestinian Deputy Permanent Observer to the UN, lives in a luxury UES apartment. Anadolu via Getty Images
One of the highest-ranking Palestinian representatives at the United Nations reportedly resides in a luxury Manhattan apartment while publicly blaming Israel for the hardships faced by Gazans, stirring unease among Jewish residents in the building.
Majed Bamya, the Palestinian Deputy Permanent Observer to the UN, lives with his wife and children in Regency Towers on the Upper East Side, where three-bedroom apartments can cost up to $11,000 per month, according to the Washington Free Beacon.
The 34-story building on East 63rd Street, just minutes from Central Park, offers residents amenities including a 24-hour doorman, a fitness center, and a rooftop terrace, according to the property’s management by Carlyle Property Management.
Bamya’s wife, Sahar Salem, also works at the UN Palestinian mission as an adviser. Bamya has used his diplomatic platform to criticize Israel on the global stage, accusing the country of genocide during its conflict with Hamas in Gaza.
“There are people starving only a few feet away from aid and yet unable to reach it. Israel has made sure that famine has set in,” he said in a UN address in May 2024.
In the past, Bamya has praised Marwan Barghouti, a Palestinian serving multiple life sentences for the murder of five Israelis, calling him a “new Nelson Mandela” and suggesting he should receive a Nobel Peace Prize in a 2015 post on X. A 2012 blog post, since deleted, urged Palestinians to “rise against the Israeli occupation” and “fight once more to protect our cause.”
Bamya’s residence in Regency Towers has reportedly raised concerns among some Jewish neighbors. One resident told the Free Beacon that “80% of the apartments on his floor have a mezuzah,” adding, “It’s a very Jewish building — a lot of religious Jews, too.” The resident noted discussions in the elevator, questioning, “Is he [Bamya] a murderer? Did he become an ambassador by killing Jews?”
Neither Bamya nor Regency Towers management immediately responded to requests for comment.
Public records indicate Bamya and his wife have lived in Manhattan since 2016, when he was appointed First Counsellor to the Palestinian mission. Their previous address was listed as the Palestinian UN mission on East 65th Street. Before joining the UN mission, Bamya coordinated the “Free Marwan Barghouti and All Palestinian Political Prisoners” campaign for the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank.
Critics of Palestinian leadership have noted long-standing wealth accumulation among officials. PA President Mahmoud Abbas reportedly has a fortune of approximately $100 million, while PLO founder Yasser Arafat is said to have amassed over $1 billion during his lifetime, including ownership of an airline, a shipping company, banana plantations, a diamond mine, and extensive real estate across the Middle East.
Although the Trump administration revoked visas for several Palestinian officials ahead of last month’s UN General Assembly, Bamya and other mission staff received waivers due to pre-existing agreements between the UN and the U.S. government.
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