Gov. Kathy Hochul said she was heading to Israel on Tuesday to show her “solidarity” with one of her biggest constituents, a day before President Joe Biden planned to travel to the Jewish state and Jordan to meet with Israeli and Arab leaders.
Hochul said he hoped to meet with New York rabbis and Jewish leaders and families with local ties who were affected by the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attacks that left more than 1,400 dead.
“The bloodshed and loss of life that followed is inexcusable,” he said, referring to the deliberate and coordinated attacks on Israeli civilians.
The governor said her team was unable to provide a specific itinerary due to security concerns.
“We were told to be enormously flexible given the circumstances on the ground that will develop as we arrive,” Hochul said, discussing his trip in a conference call with reporters after his meeting with the White House on the migrant crisis.
The Democrat deflected criticism from Palestinian supporters who accused her of siding with Israel and ignoring the thousands killed across the disputed border in retaliatory attacks.
“This was an unprecedented attack on Israeli soil by terrorists. My position remains that Israel must defend itself against terrorism or else terrorism will know no limits,” Hochul said, adding that he “abhors” any loss of innocent life and supports the arrival of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Gov. Kathy Hochul discussed her trip to Israel with reporters in a conference call, but was unable to provide an itinerary due to security concerns. Mike Groll/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul
Hochul said he hoped philanthropic groups would sponsor war refugees “so that no one is left homeless as a result of this barbaric attack on innocent people.”
“I am going on a mission of solidarity… and also on a mission of support,” Hochul said, stating that his trip will protect the safety of all Jewish and Palestinian New Yorkers.
“Let them know that all of our collective hearts are broken, [about] the suffering and loss of life that has resulted from this terrorist attack against the State of Israel,” he continued.
Hochul said New York’s shelter system was “at capacity” due to the migrant crisis and said the state could not absorb war refugees. AFP via Getty Images
“As governor I want to go… show some love from New York, show some compassion, show humanity and know that we will continue to be staunch allies of Israel and all countries that seek to exercise their rights freely without fear of terrorists.”
New York’s 1.8 million Jews represent nine percent of the state’s total population, according to World Population Review.
New York City itself is home to 1.6 million Jews, more than the combined populations of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, according to the UJA Federation of New York.
About 8,000 New York residents identified as Palestinian in the 2020 census.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn