FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

OMB APPROVAL OMB Number: 3235-0287 Expires: January 31, 2005 Estimated average burden hours per response... 0.5

(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * GARBER RICHARD P   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol VALLEY NATIONAL BANCORP [VLY] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) First Senior Vice President (Last) (First) (Middle) 1455 VALLEY ROAD 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 07/30/2008 (Street) WAYNE, NJ 07470- 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock 07/30/2008 08/04/2008 S(1)   1,300 D $ 19.6311 40,663 (2) (3) D   Common Stock 07/30/2008 08/04/2008 S   700 D $ 19.7 39,963 (2) (3) D   Common Stock 07/30/2008 08/04/2008 S   2,000 D $ 19.75 37,963 (2) (3) D   Common Stock -- (401K Plan)               2,580 D

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
	Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB control number.		SEC 1474 (9-02)

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Stock Option

$ 14.585

11/12/2000

11/12/2009

Common Stock

4,936

4,936

D

Stock Option

$ 16.2721

11/15/2001

11/15/2010

Common Stock

8,794

8,794

D

Stock Option

$ 18.1524

11/14/2008

11/14/2017

Common Stock

3,780

3,780

D

Stock Option

$ 18.3215

11/07/2002

11/07/2011

Common Stock

5,966

5,966

D

Stock Option

$ 19.6544

11/18/2003

11/18/2012

Common Stock

7,504

7,504

D

Stock Option

$ 21.3195

11/14/2006

11/14/2015

Common Stock

8,104

8,104

D

Stock Option

$ 22.9205

11/17/2004

11/17/2013

Common Stock

7,658

7,658

D

Stock Option

$ 23.011

11/16/2005

11/16/2014

Common Stock

7,293

7,293

D

Stock Option

$ 23.3197

11/13/2007

11/13/2016

Common Stock

7,718

7,718

D

STOCK OPTION/NQ

$ 18.3215

11/07/2002

11/07/2011

Common Stock

2,410

2,410

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
GARBER RICHARD P 1455 VALLEY ROAD WAYNE, NJ 07470-			First Senior Vice President

Signatures

RICHARDPGARBER		07/30/2008
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(3)	Valley declared a 5 percent stock dividend on April 7 2008, payable May 23, 2008 to stockholders of record on May 9, 2008.
(2)	Includes restricted shares granted under VNB 1999 Long Term Stock Incentive Plan, vesting in five equal installments beginning one year from the grant date.
(1)	Shares are sold as part of reporting person's rebalancing of his personal portfolio.

Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.

Potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB number.