Gov. Kathy Hochul will travel to Israel on Tuesday as part of her continued support for the country in its war against Hamas.
The New York governor announced her trip to the Middle East late Monday night in a statement declaring that her visit would "show the world" New York stands with Israel.
“During these difficult times, it’s more important than ever for New York to show up in support of Israel. Tomorrow I’ll be traveling to Israel for a solidarity mission where I plan to meet with diplomatic leaders and communities who have been devastated by the horrific Hamas attacks," her statement said.
Hochul's statement within minutes of when U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced President Joe Biden would travel to Israel on Wednesday as the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip grows more dire.
Biden is looking to send the strongest message yet that the U.S. is behind Israel. His Democratic administration has pledged military support, sending U.S. carriers and aid to the region. Officials have said they would ask Congress for upward of $2 billion in additional aid for both Israel and Ukraine, which is fighting Russia’s invasion.
One day earlier, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said that the congressional delegation he’s leading in a trip to Israel was rushed to a shelter in Tel Aviv amid rocket fire.
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Schumer posted a photo to X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, of what appears to be him and several others, including Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, sheltering in a tight bunker.
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New York has the largest percentage of Jews among all the U.S. states; it was home to 21% of the nation’s 7.6 million Jewish people as of 2020, according to the American Jewish Population Project at Brandeis University.
