Hundreds of US families stranded in war-torn Israel plead with State Dept for safe return: 'We're sc

[rangerrebew]

Hundreds of US families stranded in war-torn Israel plead with State Dept for safe return: 'We're scared'
'We are all changed forever,' New York resident says of experience since war broke out
By Yael Halon Fox News
Published October 12, 2023 1:43pm EDT
 

American in Israel says Hamas abducting her family a fate worse than death
Abbey Onn, an American whose family lives in Israel, talks about realizing her loved ones were abducted by terrorists and how she maintains hope for their return.

Hundreds of U.S. families are stranded in Israel without a safe way home after most major airlines canceled routes out of the country and U.S.-bound flights remain unavailable following Hamas' vicious terrorist attack in the region.

Several thousand Americans traveled to Israel in late September to celebrate the holiday of Sukkot, which spans over several days and has become a popular time for Jewish families to visit the Holy Land. For many in Jerusalem, the holiday celebrations were interrupted by air raid sirens signaling incoming missiles in the region, forcing them to take refuge in designated bomb shelters in their hotels or apartments.

Orthodox Jews there had been off electronics, including their cellphones, and had not known the extent of the bloodshed in southern Israel until Sunday evening when the holiday concluded. That's when they learned the harrowing details of Hamas' massacre on Israeli civilians and were informed that their flights home had been canceled indefinitely.

https://www.foxnews.com/media/hundreds-us-families-stranded-war-torn-israel-plead-state-dept-safe-return-were-scared

[rangerrebew]

If they were illegal immigrants from Mejico, Biden would have already attacked Hamas.  As Americans, Biden could care less.

[Free Vulcan]

Don't they understand that the Big Guy has to get his cut?

[Maj. Bill Martin]

I guess I'm going to be the turd in the punch bowl and say that I don't see anything wrong with the government asking to be reimbursed for whatever travel expenses people might incur leaving Israel.

It's not like they're being denied a way out, or are trapped there if they don't have the cash. The government is fronting them the money for whatever flights or hotel stays it may take for them to get back to the U.S..  I just don't see why the rest of us should be on the hook for that, especially if these people happen to be wealthy.

If someone is poor and doesn't have the money to pay back the promissory note, it likely would be waived anyway.

[Kamaji]

I guess I'm going to be the turd in the punch bowl and say that I don't see anything wrong with the government asking to be reimbursed for whatever travel expenses people might incur leaving Israel.

It's not like they're being denied a way out, or are trapped there if they don't have the cash. The government is fronting them the money for whatever flights or hotel stays it may take for them to get back to the U.S..  I just don't see why the rest of us should be on the hook for that, especially if these people happen to be wealthy.

If someone is poor and doesn't have the money to pay back the promissory note, it likely would be waived anyway.

I do have a problem with charging U.S. citizens to get them out of a wartorn country, unless they wandered into that country when it was already a warzone.   They don't have to be flown out in comfort, and I don't see any reason for arranging their travels in comfort or in multiple legs.  The U.S. military has plenty of transport aircraft that can either fly these folks out to the closest friendly/peaceful country, where they can be assisted with making arrangements to pay for the rest of their travel, or they can fly these folks directly back to the U.S.

[GtHawk]

I do have a problem with charging U.S. citizens to get them out of a wartorn country, unless they wandered into that country when it was already a warzone.   They don't have to be flown out in comfort, and I don't see any reason for arranging their travels in comfort or in multiple legs.  The U.S. military has plenty of transport aircraft that can either fly these folks out to the closest friendly/peaceful country, where they can be assisted with making arrangements to pay for the rest of their travel, or they can fly these folks directly back to the U.S.

I agree, Americans shouldn't have to be basically blackmailed to receive aid from their government at a time like this, and I would love to ask Brandon just how much junior reimbursed the taxpayers for all of his flights?