Seventy-one veterans of the US military are coming to Israel to spend ten days touring the country not in the customary tour bus - but on their own Harley Davidson motorcycles.

The riders are participating in a mission entitled 'Hope for Israel', whose executive director, Paul Klassen, said: "There are many American veterans who are Christians and feel a great kinship to Israel and her veterans. This motorcycle missions is our way to show appreciation to fellow veterans."

The participants' bikes were shipped to Israel last month and during the trip participants will visit military bases, honor fallen soldiers and deliver $0.5 million worth of medical supplies donated by the organization's 'Hope For Israel Relief Fund' that also helps Holocaust survivors and Israel's needy.

The visit will take bikers from the Golan to Beersheba visiting much of Israel and its Christian holy places, and the trip's climax will be the epic bike ride from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem's Western Wall.

Seeing the group off at JFK, Israel's Tourism Commissioner, Haim Gutin (sporting a leather vest presented to him by Pastor Wes Alvarez of My Father's Vineyard in Pensacola, FL) said, "We are honored by your coming, and it will be a special treat for me to ride with you next week through Jerusalem, my home town."