Israelis stuck in Bahrain, Oman, Saudi Arabia, amid war with Iran
A woman contacted by the Jerusalem Post said her brother was flying to Dubai but had to land in Muscat, Oman, a country without normalized relations with Israel.
Following the launch of Operation Roaring Lion against Iran, there were numerous cases of planes being forced to land in countries hostile to Israel.
A plane with around 180 Israeli passengers on board was forced to land in Saudi Arabia, and the passengers had to wait on board awaiting instructions.
A woman who The Jerusalem Post reached out to explain that his brother was flying from Sri Lanka to Dubai but had to land in Muscat, Oman, a country without normalized relations with Israel.
THE Job also spoke with Ofri, stuck in Bahrain.
Bahrain and Israel maintain diplomatic relations; however, the Israeli Foreign Ministry currently prohibits all travel to Bahrain and considers it a high-threat destination. The Foreign Office website states: “Since the start of Operation Iron Swords, there has been a significant increase in hostility against Israelis/Jews worldwide. Terrorist cells are more motivated to harm Israelis/Jews anywhere. Therefore, we recommend avoiding all travel to this country. »
The family prepares to spend the night in a public parking lot in Tel Aviv because of Iranian missiles. February 28 (credit: Chen Schimmel/The Jerusalem Post)
Ofri was on a work trip to Dubai and wanted to explore Bahrain when the war broke out. “The fact is that there are sirens and explosions everywhere and very often, but there is no shelter option, so it’s very weird,” he said.
His initial plan was to fly from Bahrain to Dubai and then to Israel, but understanding that the situation would last more than a few days, he booked a flight to London.
However, with Bahrain’s entire airspace completely closed, he said he was currently waiting for it to reopen.
Only the hotel where he stays knows that he is Israeli. He added that he was closely monitoring local news and that everyone was “very shocked.”
Israeli hides identity in Egypt
THE Job also spoke to Abraham, who is stuck in Egypt. Israel also bans travel to Egypt, “given fears that terrorist entities may attempt to harm Israelis.”
Abraham, however, is an Israeli-American citizen and has not told anyone that he is Israeli. He told the Job he currently feels safer in Egypt than in Israel, but has not yet had contact with Israeli authorities.
Then there are those stuck in safe countries, but with no way to return. Esther was supposed to return to Israel tomorrow from the United States, but her flight was canceled. She was informed that she would not be able to get a new flight until March 21.
“I feel very bad, I miss my country and I would rather take care of Iran and be in my home country with my family than in the United States. Israel is my country, good or bad, and I want to be there to support and go through all the hardships for my people,” she said.
She said she received no real help and that while El Al helped her a little, she was “kind of left in the dark.”
Alexandra was due to leave Brazil for Israel on Saturday, with a connection in Europe. However, after waking up to red alert sirens on her phone, she decided to stay a few more days in Rio de Janeiro. For now, she doesn’t know when she will be able to return, but said that once Ben Gurion Airport opens, she will take the first flight home.
“When I flew overseas, I knew there was a chance a war would break out, although I didn’t think the probability was very high,” she said. “I miss home, family and work, but we are doing something great here [with the attacks on Iran] so how does it feel to stay in Rio a little longer?”
“I hope that after this war there will be no more wars, that the rest of the Gulf States will join the Abraham Accords and that we can live here in peace, as good neighbors, in full cooperation. I am very grateful to the security forces, our incredible pilots and all those who are participating in this historic moment and supporting us,” she added.
