The Ministry of Foreign Affairs prepared in a special format for the arrival of the Israeli soccer fans to the World Cup games in Qatar. The number of fans who will come from Israel is not clear, and is estimated at 10,000 to 20,000 and maybe even more. In light of the fact that Qatar does not have diplomatic relations with Israel, this is a relatively complex diplomatic and logistical operation.
In preparation for the World Cup, agreements were reached with Qatar according to which fans from Israel will be able to freely enter the country and even reach it on direct flights from Israel. However, the agreement regarding the direct flights was formulated at a relatively late stage, and therefore most Israelis - at least in the group stages of the World Cup - are expected to arrive on connecting flights purchased in advance.
The airport in Qatar, photo: EPA
The Cypriot company TUS is the only one to have announced up to this stage the operation of direct flights from Tel Aviv to Doha, the capital of Qatar. As part of the agreement between the countries, it was agreed that Palestinians would also be able to board the flights from Israel, but as of this morning (Tuesday) no such requests have been received.
It is recommended not to stand out
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will open a situation room in Qatar that will be used as a front office, and will help Israelis who encounter unusual situations during the games. "The presence of Israelis in Qatar is a huge project that includes administrative personnel, security and, of course, a consular team that will be the heart of the matter and whose purpose, first and foremost, is to respond to requests from Israelis," he said Emanuel Nachshon, head of the Public Diplomacy Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and spokesman for the Ministry.
"We prepare for all kinds of cases - from losing passports, through fights to friction with the local authorities, and God forbid, even terrorist attacks. We have prepared a detailed operation order for every possible scenario. We don't tell people what to wear and what not to wear - for example whether to wear a kippa or not - but we recommend not It is important to remember that there will be fans from all kinds of countries, including a large delegation from Iran."
According to Nahshon, "a team of spokespersons from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be in Qatar and a spokesperson from the Ministry will accompany the events at any given moment. It is recommended to enter Qatar with an Israeli passport, because entering with a foreign passport will make it difficult to provide assistance in case of entanglement. The negotiations with the Qataris were complex and complicated, but It was completed successfully, and we thank them, FIFA, the Ministry of Culture and Sports and the other parties involved in it."
The head of the national information system, Lior Hayit, said: "This week we will launch a campaign that will explain cultural 'basic points' regarding the conduct and behavior in Qatar, and we will provide emergency numbers and means of contact. It is recommended to be especially careful in everything related to alcohol, drug use and inappropriate behavior in public - it is important to understand that everyone One of these incidents may end in arrest and in extreme cases even a long prison term, and it will be difficult for Israel to assist and handle such cases."
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