Israel working to get over 100,000 stuck abroad home, but safety first, minister says

Transportation Minister Miri Regev says Israel is working on an operation to safely return the more than 100,000 Israelis stuck abroad, but it will take time.

“We are readying rescue flights to bring Israelis back home,” she says. “We will be doing this in a very organized manner in coordination with the Defense Ministry.”

Israel’s airspace has been closed since the Israel Defense Forces began attacking Iran early Friday, leaving those abroad with no way to get back and those here with few options to leave.

Regev expresses worries that planes flying Israelis back home could be targeted by Iran while on the tarmac.

“I am aware of the distress, but we will not take the risk that we will bring a plane and, God forbid, there will be a ground incident with more than 300 deaths,” Regev adds.

Israelis trying to get back will eventually need to make their way to as yet unannounced cities where they will be able to catch flights home.

“Once Israeli airlines get slots from the authorities, they will be updating their customers from where and when flights will leave,” she says.

She adds that talks are taking place with cruise provider Mano Maritime to organize ships from Cyprus that could bring Israelis back.

At the same time, foreign nationals “who do not need to be here” will be sent abroad so they can return home, she says.

Regev asks Israelis stranded outside the country’s borders not to “panic and enjoy their stay abroad as much as they can.”