MidHudsonNews [dot] com is reporting U.S. Rep. Antonio Delgado will join 41 of his fellow first-term House Democrats and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, on a trip to Israel and the West Bank this week. Delgado will be joined by his wife Lacey Schwartz Delgado on the journey, which was organized by the American Israel Education Foundation, a charitable foundation affiliated with AIPAC, a pro-Israel lobbying group. According to a story in The Jerusalem Post, Hoyer will lead the Democratic group that arrives August 5, and will be joined by Hakeem Jeffries, chairman of the House Democratic Caucus. A Republican group is expected to arrive August 9, led by House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy. “We are traveling to Israel, one of America’s closest allies, with fellow members of Congress in order to better understand the history of the region, grow our own personal connection to the Jewish faith and hear directly from Israelis and Palestinians who experience the complex dynamics on the ground every day,” Delgado said. The delegation is scheduled to meet with senior Israeli and Palestinian government officials, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, opposition leader Benny Gantz, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The congressional delegation will also meet with young Palestinian entrepreneurs, Israeli civil society leaders and peace activists. Read the full story at MidHudsonNews [dot] com.