NEW YORK, NY – June 12, 2008 – EL AL, Israel’s national airline, welcomed Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa as he embarked on a week long mission to Israel, focusing on green technologies and security.  Mayor Villaraigosa is leading a delegation of city council members and heads of major city departments as well as business and religious leaders, including Rabbi Marvin Hier, founder and dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles.

While in Israel, Mayor Villaraigosa will spend the majority of his time in Jerusalem, tour Israel’s seaport of Ashdod and visit Sderot, the town after which one of EL AL’s newly purchased Boeing 777 aircraft is named.

The Mayor has meetings scheduled with EL AL Chairman, Prof Israel (Izzy) Borovich and EL AL President Haim Romano. He will also meet with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, President Shimon Peres, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, Jerusalem Mayor Uri Lupolianski and Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai. 

Shown prior to departing for Israel on EL AL Airlines is the Mayor of Los Angeles, Antonio Villaraigosa.