Two military planes on the move
Bundeswehr flies Germans out of Israel
October 14, 2023, 7:17 p.m
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Several days after Hamas’ devastating major attack on Israel, the Foreign Office is flying hundreds of Germans out on Lufthansa aircraft. There is criticism of the repatriation flights by civil airlines. Now the Bundeswehr is supposed to take over the evacuation.
The Bundeswehr is supposed to fly German citizens out of Israel. For this purpose, two Airbus A400M military transporters are on the way from Germany to Tel Aviv, security circles told the German Press Agency. Among other things, they should also build a “hub” – a hub for possible further flights. The deployment of another Bundeswehr machine is being prepared for Sunday.
In the past few days, the Foreign Office has already supported around 2,800 German citizens and family members to leave the country. It was said that people left the country by land, air and sea after the terrorist attack by the Islamist Hamas a week ago. Lufthansa had initially stopped its scheduled flights from Israel and then used special flights. In addition to security issues, the background is “also unresolved questions of operational stability in Tel Aviv,” according to the airline.
A new exit option via Jordan had so far only been used to a very limited extent. The Foreign Office wanted to help people who decided to do so with bus transport to Aqaba. Those leaving the country could quickly and easily acquire an electronic visa or a visa on arrival online. However, the city on the Red Sea is several hours away from Tel Aviv by car or bus through the Negev Desert. Parts of the route run not far from the Gaza Strip.
Wolfgang Hellmich, defense policy spokesman for the SPD in the Bundestag, said: “We very much welcome the fact that the federal government is now using the available and proven capabilities of the air force to bring German citizens from Israel to safety.” Both planes had relief material on board for Israel, and the return flight would be used to evacuate German citizens. “May as many people as possible return safely.”
85 Germans returned with Baerbock’s government plane
The pilots’ union Cockpit (VC) had previously criticized repatriation flights by civil airlines. Because of the “incalculable risk,” such flights would have to be carried out by the Air Force, it said. Military crews are trained for such operations and their aircraft have the appropriate equipment. The Air Force had stated: “Only when civil air transport is no longer possible due to an existing threat to the aircraft can the Bundeswehr use its protected transport aircraft for this purpose.”
Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock visited Israel on Friday and flew on to Egypt for talks in the evening. The Bundeswehr Airbus, with which Baerbock flew from Berlin to Tel Aviv, returned to Germany with another 85 German nationals.
The Foreign Ministry appealed to Germans wanting to leave the country to be on the crisis preparedness list Elephant to enter. Keep in constant contact with everyone. In addition, they are preparing “for all eventualities, for example in the event that the situation worsens,” it said.