INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS' CONSENT

The Board of Directors
Valley National Bancorp

We consent to incorporation  by reference in the Registration  Statement on Form
S-4 of Valley National Bancorp of our report dated January 19, 2000, relating to
the  consolidated  statements of financial  condition of Valley National Bancorp
and  subsidiaries as of December 31, 1999 and 1998 and the related  consolidated
statements of income,  changes in shareholders'  equity, and cash flows for each
of the years in the  three-year  period ended  December  31, 1999,  which report
appears in the December 31, 1999 Annual  Report on Form 10-K of Valley  National
Bancorp.  We also  consent  to the  reference  to our  Firm  under  the  caption
"Experts."

                                                                       KPMG LLP

Short Hills, New Jersey
October 12, 2000