Israeli travelers stranded in Cyprus by fighting begin return trip by boat
LIMASSOL, Cyprus (AP) — David Agami has been eager to leave Cyprus and get back to his wife and six children since his flight from the U.S. was diverted when Israel and Iran began trading air attacks last week.
On Thursday, he was among hundreds of other Israelis who found spots aboard the Israeli cruise ship Crown Iris, which embarked on the trip of about 270 kilometers (167 miles) to Israel. The ship docked in the port city of Limassol on Wednesday morning after dropping off hundreds of Jewish emigrees from the U.S. who were evacuated from Israel.
“There’s nothing you can do, it’s all God’s hands. If it’s your time it’s your time. I think we’d prefer to be there than here, definitely,” said Agami, who is to attempting reach Bet Shemesh, between Israel’s port city of Ashdod and Jerusalem.
Cyprus’ chief Rabbi Arie Zeev Raskin told The Associated Press that approximately 6,500 Israelis were in Cyprus after being diverted to the east Mediterranean island, the closest European nation to Israel, or traveling there voluntarily in hopes of catching a flight or boat trip back to their country.
Cyprus has become a key transit point for the repatriation of third-country nationals fleeing conflict areas in the region, as well as Israelis and others wishing to return home in the absence of direct flights there.
Like many other Israelis, Agami said a collective drive to assist their homeland’s defense overrides any concerns about personal safety or security.
“If any other country, I don’t think you’d have anyone, you know, going. Everyone would be fleeing,” Agami said. He described an Israeli businessman he knows who left his company and returned to join the army. “If we’re not going to fight for it, who is?”
It’s a sentiment shared by Ben Fox, the pulmonary unit chief at the Shamir Medical Center, and his wife Liat Fox, an oculoplastic surgeon in central Israel. The couple wanted to get back to their three daughters in Modi’in-Maccabim-Re’ut after attending separate medical conferences in Germany and Sweden. But they also were eager to help the defense effort as medical professionals.
“Obviously, what’s happening is very worrying, what’s happening with the rocket fire,” Ben Fox said. “On the other hand, we’re very happy that our army and our government’s taking care of the Iranian problem and, of course, we want to be with our family and we want to be available to help, you know, if there’s medical problems and just, you know, go back home.”
The couple were aware of a missile strike against Soroka Hospital, in the Beersheeba area of Israel, on Thursday, which wounded at least 40 people.
“It’s a very important medical center. It’s the only medical center for the south of Israel … And it’s just a travesty that it was attacked,” Ben Fox said, expressing surprise that Iranian forces would target a hospital serving a mixed population of Jews, Arabs and Bedouins.
Haifa resident Hanit Azulay — another Israeli in Cyprus — said she doesn’t care about the missiles because Israelis have become inured to the threat.
“No, I don’t scare. My little daughter is over there, my family is over there and we’re regular to this,” Azulay said.
By MENELAOS HADJICOSTIS
Associated Press
