Forget them in Dubai: the Israelis who can not return Israel today

The announcement of the closure of Ben Gurion Airport did not allow the thousands of Israeli tourists who are abroad to organize to return to Israel • "The state has completely shaken us off - everyone here is in a panic"

• "Panic": Israelis abroad do not know how to return to Israel

The announcement of the expected closure of Ben Gurion Airport came at the beginning of the week, and did not allow the thousands of Israeli tourists who are abroad to organize in preparation for their return to Israel.

Both because it was not easy to find a flight, and also because the State of Israel requires a corona check within 72 hours before arriving in Israel, which posed another challenge before returning to Israel.

We found some who do not know what will happen to them in the near future.

Lynn Fox, an Israeli tourist who is currently in Dubai, told Israel Today about the difficulties she is experiencing following the decision.

"I started my trip about a month and a half ago, when there was no charge for isolation. After a few days, they announced from the moment that anyone who does not return to Israel is charged with isolation in a motel. Of course I hurried to buy a flight ticket back to Israel. "The flight was canceled, and I've been stuck here ever since," she says in astonishment.

"Every day new guidelines come out and nothing is really known. No one expected them to completely close the sky, and even without giving a fair chance to return to Israel. None of the Israeli airlines are active on the route to Dubai these days, as if the country is really turning its back on you. I'm on a trip with my big brother and not alone, and I owe him my life on this trip, he really saved me. But it really does not lower the growing anxiety threshold day by day. Staying here is very expensive, and it is hard to last so long - certainly in uncertainty "In Israel, people think that those who speak only spend and enjoy themselves, but in fact there have been many days of crying and uncertainty. The state disclaims responsibility."

Jordan Arditi, another Israeli in Dubai, talks about Israelis moving to other countries to reduce costs and high flight prices following the decision: "We were supposed to return next Thursday, and of course we flew long before we realized it would be forbidden to fly. Once we realized the sky was closing, we quickly looked for a place. To do a corona test, and everyone we approached, including the Ministry of Health and the Home Front Command, told us to 'manage on your own'. "To Israel, Israeli families here are thinking of flying to Greece to reduce costs. It is delusional that other countries accept Israelis but Israel does not."

Eyal, an Israeli who has been stuck in the Seychelles for weeks, tried to find a solution to return to Israel even before the decision to close the sky.

Now it seems almost impossible.

"The flights from Seychelles to Israel were canceled by the airlines about two weeks ago," he says, "Now we have found a flight to Israel on February 3 via Ethiopia, only there will probably be no flights to Israel at that date, so we are really stuck here.

"No one pays us for the hotels and accommodation, and more than that - our residence permit in Seychelles will expire on February 1 and we will actually be here illegally."