


Gov. Kathy Hochul said she was heading Israel Tuesday to show her “solidarity” with one of her biggest constituencies, a day before President Joe Biden planned to travel to the Jewish state and Jordan to meet with Israeli and Arab leadership.
Hochul said she expected to meet with rabbis and Jewish leaders from New York and families with local ties that were impacted by the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attacks that left more than 1,400 dead.
“The blood and loss of life that ensued is unforgiveable,” she said, referring to the coordinated deliberate targeting of Israeli civilians.
The governor said her team was unable to provide an specific itinerary due to security concerns.
“We were told being to be enormously flexible given the circumstances on the ground that will be unfolding as we arrive,” Hochul said, discussing her trip in a conference call with reporters following her meeting with the White House about the migrant crisis.
The Democrat deflected criticism from Palestinian supporters that accused her of siding with Israel and ignoring the thousands killed on the other side of the disputed border in retaliatory attacks.
“This was an unprecedented attack on Israel soil by terrorists. It is still my position that Israel must defend itself against terrorism or else terrorism will know no bounds,” Hochul said, adding she “abhors” all loss of innocent life and supports getting humanitarian aide to Gaza.
Hochul said she expected philanthropic groups to sponsor war refugees “so none is left homeless as a result of this barbaric attack on innocent individuals.”
“I go in a mission of solidarity… and also a mission of support,” Hochul said, claiming her trip will protect the safety of all Jewish and Palestinian New Yorkers.
“Let them know all our collective hearts are broken, [about] the suffering and loss of life that has ensued from this terrorist attack on the State of Israel,” she continued.
“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 from terrorists.”
New York’s 1.8 million Jews make up nine percent of the state’s total population, according to World Population Review.
New York City itself is home to 1.6 million Jewish people, 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.