Heading to Israel: Tucson-area state Rep. Alma Hernandez is leading a group of 17 lawmakers on a six-day trip to Israel next week, the Arizona Republic's Mary Jo Pitzl reports. They plan to visit with the families of Israelis held hostage by Hamas. Hernandez said the trip is educational, not a recreational junket, and won't interfere with the ongoing legislative session. Tucson Democrats Nancy Gutierrez, Consuelo Hernandez, and Chris Mathis will join Hernandez on the trip. The trip is paid for by a New York-based nonprofit itrek. (March 1)

Questionable timing: State Rep. Alma Hernandez’s trip to Israel right now is a bad idea, Arizona Daily Star columnist Tim Steller writes. While Hernandez has always been a fierce supporter of Israel and Zionism, her commitment to the cause has put the state House’s work on hold, frustrating both Senate Republicans and Gov. Katie Hobbs. Hernandez didn’t respond to Steller’s question about why she’s going during the middle of the legislative session, but she previously told Capitol Media Services’ Howard Fischer that it’s to “educate people to what Israel’s all about.”

“The trip is not a luxury vacation. There’s a war going on,” Hernandez told Fischer. (March 11)

Reason for the trip: When state Rep. Alma Hernandez, a Tucson Democrat, took a group of legislators to Israel recently, she faced criticism on a number of fronts, including what role Arizona legislators would have with regard to Israel. She spoke with KJZZ’s Lauren Gilger about a number of issues, including why she thought it was important for legislators to make the trip. She cited university groups in Arizona “calling for the death of Zionists” as well as cities passing ceasefire resolutions.

“Well, you know, we, we constantly deal with situations, not only on the state level, but also on the local municipality levels. We're seeing city councils right now trying to pass resolutions, school boards, you name it,” Hernandez said. (March 21)

Saying her piece: Tucson-area state Rep. Alma Hernandez defended her decision to visit Israel in the middle of the legislative session in an opinion piece in the Star, saying the group of 17 lawmakers on the trip “had no choice” but to go now. The group visited with the families of Israelis held hostage by Hamas, with Hernandez pointing out that five months into the conflict, there are still more than 130 people in captivity.

“We had to go because even though we live in Arizona, we have young people who don’t know what the Holocaust is or why anti-Semitism isn’t merely a Jewish issue,” Hernandez wrote. (March 28)