By Corinne Murdock |
State Rep. Alma Hernandez (D-LD03) says she won’t relent in her support of Israel following criticisms of her arranging a bipartisan trip to Israel last week.
Hernandez, who is a Zionist, also debunked claims by certain outlets that the trip was taxpayer-funded, a vacation of sorts, and an impetus to the regular procession of the legislature. Hernandez said that the trip was a means to understanding the ongoing conflict sparked by the Hamas terrorist attack last October: meeting with the families of Israeli and Arabic hostage victims as well as fallen soldiers, and consulting with Palestinians living in Israel.
“It is absurd to suggest we have somehow paused our state government or blew up a budget when committees continued,” said Hernandez. “Some of you forget that you can’t negotiate a budget that is NOT on the table or has never started.”
Hernandez said that the trip gave her greater determination to fight antisemitism and “the one-sided media view.” The lawmaker speculated that the focus on her trip was rooted in “the antisemitism that is plaguing [Arizona].”
As Arizona Agenda reported, no senators attended the trip, paid for by itrek (Israel Trek), a New York-based nonprofit bringing graduate business, law, policy, and STEM students to Israel.
Seven Democrats and 10 Republicans joined the delegation: Reps. Conseulo Hernandez (D-LD21), Lydia Hernandez (D-LD24), Christopher Mathis (D-LD18), Keith Seaman (D-LD16), Seth Blattman (D-LD09), Michael Carbone (R-LD25), Neal Carter (R-LD15), Alex Kolodin (R-LD03), Justin Wilmeth (R-LD02), Quang Nguyen (R-LD01), Michele Pena (R-LD23), David Cook (R-LD07), David Livingston (R-LD28), Majority Leader Leo Biasucci (R-LD30), Minority Whip Nancy Gutierrez (D-LD18), and House Speaker Ben Toma (R-LD27).
Toma told the outlet in a statement that the Israel trip benefitted Arizonans, as the state has economic interests in the nation’s welfare.
“We have a trade office in Israel. We have clear economic reasons to be interested in what happens there,” said Toma. “This is not my first trip. As a matter of fact, that’s gonna be my third trip to Israel, for different reasons. So again, we have our interests.”
Arizona and Israel are considered top trading partners. Three of Arizona’s exported goods account for 73 percent of all exports to Israel according to the Arizona Commerce Authority: $135 million in semiconductors and other electronic components, $125 million in aerospace products and parts, and $26 million in navigational, measuring, electromedical and control instruments.
Arizona opened its first trade and investment office in Israel in 2019.
The bipartisan Arizona delegation visited the Knesset and Ministry of Foreign Affairs for a briefing on the ongoing conflict.
Rep. David Livingston (R-LD28) also voiced his support for Israel and Hernandez’s trip.
State Sen. Anthony Kern (R-LD27) attempted to prevent the trip from occurring, citing concerns that the lawmakers were improperly wasting valuable legislative session time. He helped defeat a House motion to adjourn so that the 17 lawmakers could make their Israel trip.
Kern claimed a lobbyist paid for the trip, an accusation which Hernandez denied.
Last December, pro-Hamas activists passed out flyers with Hernandez’s home address near and around her neighborhood. The retaliation occurred after Hernandez refused to support a ceasefire, asserting that she and others who signed onto the anti-ceasefire statement wouldn’t be “negotiating with terrorists” at any point in time.
Hernandez is on the board of directors for Democratic Majority for Israel.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
