Bloomberg to travel to Israel on El Al

[hrmjustin]

Sally Goldenberg

Former Mayor Michael Bloomberg is heading to Israel Tuesday night, flying on El Al in a show of unity with the Jewish state while U.S. and European airlines are canceling flights amid deadly fighting in Gaza.

"This evening I will be flying on El Al to Tel Aviv to show solidarity with the Israeli people and to demonstrate that it is safe to fly in and out of Israel," Bloomberg said in a prepared statement emailed by former City Hall spokesman Marc La Vorgna shortly after 8 p.m.

"Ben Gurion is the best protected airport in the world and El Al flights have been regularly flying in and out of it safely," Bloomberg continued. "The U.S. flight restrictions are a mistake that hands Hamas an undeserved victory and should be lifted immediately. I strongly urge the FAA to reverse course and permit US airlines to fly to Israel."

http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/city-hall/2014/07/8549449/bloomberg-travel-israel-el-al?top-featured-1

[yeoman6987]

1. Keep Safe

So many good folks risking their own lives for others.

[hrmjustin]

7. Mike Bloomberg gets presidential welcome after hopping commercial flight to Israel

http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/mike-bloomberg-presidential-hopping-commercial-flight-israel-blog-entry-1.1877329

[delrem]

2. unreal.

[MADem]

3. Ben Gurion may be the best protected airport in the world, but right now it is not safe to fly

there.

I know people in the airline industry who are glad that these flights were cancelled--they didn't want to have to take the risk flying in and out during this period of tension.

[hrmjustin]

4. I agree. Safety must come first?

[alsame]

5. What a

grotesquely irresponsible thing to do.

The FAA and aviation agencies of European countries have restricted flights for safety reasons but Bloomberg is more worried about the Israeli tourism industry than about potential catastrophes? Shame on him.

[hrmjustin]

6. I agree. The FAA is doing the right thing.