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NYC mayor heads to Israel to 'show his support'

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-01-04 09:51

NEW YORK - New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is heading to Israel along with police Commissioner Raymond Kelly and New York Rep. Gary Ackerman.

In this photo provided by the Office of Mayor Bloomberg, Asaf Shariv, left, Israel's Consul General to New York, shows New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg a rocket Shariv says was fired at the city of Sderot, Israel, from the Gaza Strip, during a meeting in the mayor's office Tuesday, December 30, 2008. [Agencies]

Spokesman Andrew Brent says the mayor "is going in order to show his support for Israel."

The trip comes as Israel launches a ground offensive in Gaza following eight days of punishing airstrikes that failed to halt militant rocket attacks on Israel.

Bloomberg, who is Jewish, is scheduled to spend Sunday meeting with the mayors of Sderot and Ashkelon and with New Yorkers who have moved to Israel. He's expected to be back in New York by Monday morning.

The mayor has already voiced his support for Israel in recent days, saying he believes Israel has a right to defend itself.