“The State of Israel cares for its citizens, whoever they are. In recent days, citizens of Israel and eligible immigrants from Ethiopia have been placed in dangerous situations in the battle zones. I ordered them to be taken out of there,” Netanyahu stated.
By United with Israel Staff
Amid violent clashes between the Ethiopian Army and the FANO militia in the Amhara province, some 150 Israelis found themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time. But the Jewish state came to the rescue.
Several days ago, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in consultation with Minister of Foreign Affairs Eli Cohen, directed National Security Council Director Tzahi Hanegbi to lead inter-ministerial coordination for a rescue operation. The operation was led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Israeli Embassy in Ethiopia, the Prime Minister’s Office, the National Security Council and the Jewish Agency.
One hundred and seventy-four Israeli citizens and people eligible for aliyah (immigration to the Jewish state) were flown from the city of Gondar. At the same time, 30 Israeli citizens were rescued from the city of Bahir Dar in northern Ethiopia.
A total of 204 Israeli citizens and eligible olim were rescued in four flights. All 204 were flown to the capital of Addis Ababa, according to a joint statement by the Prime Minister’s Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Over the past 24 hours, the Israeli Embassy in Ethiopia and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jerusalem contacted most of the Israeli citizens in the areas of Gondar and Bahir Dar. Wednesday night, they were instructed to go meeting points in those cities ahead of the rescue operation.
To this end, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Situation Room was reinforced with diplomats, Jewish Agency personnel and IDF soldiers fluent in Amharic.
At the meeting points, the Israelis boarded designated buses that were waiting for them and then transported them to the Gondar and Bahir Dar airport. There, they boarded special flights that were coordinated in advance, taking them to Addis Ababa.
“The State of Israel looks after its citizens wherever they are. In recent days, Israeli citizens and people eligible for aliyah from Ethiopia became in distress in areas of combat. I directed that they be brought out of there,” Prime Minister Netanyahu said in a statement.
“I would like to thank the National Security Council and the personnel of the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Jewish Agency for their quick, quiet and – above all – successful action.
“The people are now on their way from Gondar and Bahir Dar to Addis and from there they will leave for the State of Israel. We will welcome them here with warmth and blessings. Welcome to the State of Israel,” he concluded.
“The State of Israel will not stand aside and leave even one Israeli behind. This was the result of successful cooperation and close coordination between the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Security Council and the Jewish Agency,” Minister of Foreign Affairs Eli Cohen stated.
“I am proud of the personnel from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Israeli Embassy in Ethiopia for their quick and high-quality action. As we have proven in the past, and in this event as well, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to work – in every way possible – to assist every Israeli in the world who needs help.”
“The Israelis who were rescued from the combat zone will stay in Addis Ababa until they decide whether to stay in Ethiopia or return to Israel,” he said.