Mayor Bill De Blasio To Visit Israel This Summer
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is planning to take his first trip to Israel as mayor this summer.
De Blasio has championed Jewish causes. He denounced anti-Semitic violence in Europe at a major New York synagogue and in a recent trip to Paris following terrorist attacks there.
He also loosened restrictions last week on an ultra-Orthodox circumcision ritual.
"I want to talk about what I think is a growing scourge of anti-Semitism, particularly in western European nations," he told reporters, including WCBS 880's Peter Haskell, on Wednesday.
The mayor said European nations have to step up their protection of Jews, 1010 WINS' Carol D'Auria reported.
"That is one of the things that led me to go to Paris. I'm very very concerned about the response of European governments to what's obviously a growing problem," de Blasio said. "I've held up New York City as an example of a place that protects communities when they're under attack."
De Blasio added that he wants "to express my solidarity with the people of Israel and the state of Israel."
Courting the Jewish vote has long been a staple of New York politics due to its large and politically active Jewish population.
De Blasio has made other international trips since taking office, including a political conference in England and a vacation in Italy.
The Israel trip was first reported by The New York Times.
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