France says drafting military aircraft to fly nationals out of Israel
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France will send A400M military planes to Israel to fly out citizens who wish to leave for Cyprus.
PHOTO: AFP
PARIS – France is to send military A400M aircraft to Israel to fly out any of its citizens who wish to leave for Cyprus, the foreign and defence ministries said on June 22.
The flights will be carried out subject to Israel’s clearance and will supplement the chartered civilian flights already operating, the ministries added.
France has about 250,000 of its citizens in Israel – around 10,000 registered on consular lists.
Earlier on June 22, 160 French nationals – most of them vulnerable or in urgent situations – were flown to Paris from Jordan accompanied by a doctor.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, on his social media platform X account, wrote: “Two more flights are coming, and starting tomorrow, our military planes will be engaged.”
Mr Herve Berrebi, one of the passengers, told media: “It went really, really well, so we’re glad to arrive. But we are also thinking of our families, for the most part.
“We hope for some peace, a little, for all communities regardless of who they are.”
A crisis team at the Foreign Ministry has received more than 4,500 phone calls over the last week.
More flights will follow, the ministry said. AFP
