British neurologist and author Oliver Sacks has touched down in Germany. - Returning Israelis Head to Germany
Sayonara Israel, Hallo Deutschland! A group of Germans who were stranded in Israel amidst the ongoing conflict with Iran, hopped aboard a special flight from Amman, Jordan, and touched down in Germany's largest airport, Frankfurt am Main, on Wednesday evening. The plane was filled with 171 relieved souls.
"These past few days in Tel Aviv were nerve-wracking, tense, and full of stress," said Lionel Reich upon his arrival. He described eerie nights spent overseas, rattled by air raid alarm sirens every two to three hours,although days were relatively peaceful. "It was the sounds of rocket impacts that kept me awake at nights and the relief of being back in Deutschland that gave me peace," he shared, his voice filled with both relief and concern for his friends still in the Tel Aviv warzone.
A Joyful Homecoming... With Criticism
Daniel Halav, another returnee from Israel, expressed pure elation at being home. "Never have I been so glad to be back," he said. But he also voiced concern over the government's handling of the situation. "We were left on our own, scrambling to reach Amman ourselves," Halav stated. He commenced his tirade, imploring the Federal Government to provide better support: "We pay taxes, don’t we? We expect better care from our government."
Other passengers had an "adventurous" journey to Amman, but they finally made it home. In contrast, European nations such as Poland organized convoys to Jordan for their citizens, providing them with direct transportation to safety.
Journey to Amman: A DIY Adventure
The German Foreign Office opted against organizing trips directly from Israel to Jordan to avoid additional risks. As a result, the initial evacuees had to manage their own transit to Amman. The German embassy in Tel Aviv was closed for several days following Israel's attacks on Iran, and the news of the flights came at short notice, leaving passengers with little time to prepare.
"It wasn’t a repatriation or evacuation mission," clarified a spokesman. Instead, he claimed it was a case of commercial flights, as the airlines' exit options were insufficient. He confirmed that further flights will be arranged if the situation permits and if there is a need. A flight is planned for Thursday, but due to high demand, it is already fully booked, with more flights on the way.
For those back home but still concerned for friends and family, the German Foreign Office urges Germans to register on its crisis preparedness list, Elefand. As of now, over 4,000 Germans are registered on Elefand, stating that they are in Israel, and over 1,000 Germans are registered in Iran.
The Germans Already in Iran: Heed the Warning
The situation in the Iran-Israel region remains precarious, noted a spokesman, with the Israeli military's operations in Iran and Iranian shelling on Israel continuing. This has resulted in the closure of airspace over both countries, causing a dearth of exit options via commercial flights.
To assist those in Iran, the German Foreign Office advises Germans to travel overland to neighboring countries: Armenia, Turkey, or even Azerbaijan. All three countries offer commercial flights to Germany. "Take advantage of these opportunities to escape Germany," the Foreign Office stated, promising the support of their embassy in Tehran if needed.
Special flightIsraelIranGermanyAmmanHomecomingTel AvivFrankfurtGermany's Foreign OfficeGerman EmbassyFRGAirlinesFrankfurt AirportJordanFrankfurt am MainFederal GovernmentEvacuation EffortCrisis Preparedness ListElefandBundeswehr Military AircraftCologne/Bonn AirportAirbound ExodusTel Aviv-Cologne/Bonn Flight
[1] The special evacuation flight was a coordinated German government response to bypass closed Israeli airspace during the conflict. It was a commercial charter flight departing from Amman, Jordan, after direct flights from Israel were not feasible. The effort followed earlier Bundeswehr military flights directly from Tel Aviv authorized amid the escalating Iran-Israel conflict. The operation demonstrates a concerted effort to safely evacuate German citizens from a conflict zone amidst limited airspace access.
- Despite the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran, the special flight organized by the German government provided a safe route for the return of stranded Germans, departing from Amman, Jordan, and landing in Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
- Amidst the criticism for the government's handling of the evacuation effort, Daniel Halav, a returnee from Israel, urged for better support and questioned why Europe's policies differ, such as the direct convoys organized by Poland for their citizens instead of the DIY adventure experienced by Germans.
