New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and a delegation of state legislative leaders arrived in Israel Wednesday afternoon for a “unity” trip with a frenetic pace.
Mr. Cuomo, in his first international trip as governor, was scheduled to travel immediately from Ben-Gurion Airport to the residence of Israel President Reuven Rivlin, in Jerusalem.
From there, the governor, along with state Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Senate Coalition Co-leaders Dean Skelos and Jeffrey D. Klein, is slated to travel to downtown Jerusalem to visit with students from New York at a pizzeria, Big Apple Pizza.
Later Wednesday, the officials are scheduled to meet with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, followed by a visit to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and finally a trip to the Western Wall.
Mr. Cuomo, a Democrat, appeared to feel the political payoff of the trip before his plane had even left American airspace.
About two hours into the commercial flight from John F. Kennedy International airport, Mr. Cuomo emerged from the business-class section of the plane to take a lap around coach, where he was greeted with shrieks and a barrage of selfies.
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
2 Responses
Thank you Gov Cuomo and Group for going to Israel. We need outward support from people who are not afraid of liking Israel. We appreciate you.
Israel does not need US politicians with no authority over foreign affairs making nicey-nicey with Israeli political figureheads like the president of Israel. Political pandering is no substitute for sound policy, and a New York governor and New York state legislators have no authority over US foreign policy.
Perhaps on the flight back to the US, Gov. Cuomo can prepare an explanation of his shut-down of the anti-corruption Moreland commission.