A bipartisan group of more than 70 representatives is currently in Israel, as a part of the American Israel Education Foundation (AIEF) mission, a charitable foundation affiliated with AIPAC.
These trips are organized in August of every non-election year for new members of Congress, many whom have never been to Israel before.
The
trip for the Democrats began August 5 and ends August 11, while the one for the Republicans started August 9 and will conclude on the 15. Members of the delegation are expected to host a bipartisan press conference on Sunday.
"Tonight, the delegation heard from Jewish and Arab entrepreneurs showcasing Israel's Start-Up ingenuity,” AIPAC tweeted over the weekend. “The innovators demonstrated their technologies, which are improving health care, the environment, transportation, and more."
The congressmen also went to the West Bank and visited the city of Bethlehem.
“Christine and I are excited to be in #Israel this week on a Congressional delegation trip," tweeted Congressman Denver Riggleman. "Today we visited the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, a site of amazing faith and history.”
"Just arrived in Israel with dozens of other members of Congress—Republican and Democrat," minority leader Kevin McCarthy tweeted, posting pictures of himself in the Holy Land. "We are here to show unity in our support for Israel and her people."
Majority leader
Steny Hoyer told
The Jerusalem Post in an interview last week that the sheer size of the current Democratic delegation – it includes 32 first time Congresspeople – sends a message that the Democratic Party is a "very strong proponent, supporter and protector of Israel."
He mentioned as further evidence of this support that an anti-BDS measure passed the House recently by a vote of 398-17. Only 16 of 239 House Democrats voted against it.
Hoyer, staunchly pro-Israel, noted that there have "always been members in Congress, both on the Republican and Democratic side, who have been critical [of Israel], but they have been in the very, very, very small minority, whether in the Democratic or Republican Party."
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Rep. Max Rose, who is part of the delegation and visited the Western Wall with his wife, posted a picture of the two at the holy site and tweeted: "Leigh and I were overwhelmed with emotion to visit the Old City of Jerusalem and the Western Wall together. Jerusalem is a holy city for so many of my constituents, and a testament to what we can achieve when diverse communities work together towards peace."
