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Second RAF flight leaves Israel to bring stranded British nationals home
Flight put on by the Foreign Office will land at the UK’s military base in Larnaca, Cyprus, before a second plane will bring passengers back the UK
More Britons will be evacuated from Israel on Tuesday as another RAF flight is set to leave Tel Aviv.
Foreign Office minister Hamish Falconer told MPs the first RAF flight took place on Monday “and I can confirm to the House now that we will fly another today”.
He added: “We are providing support and advice to more than 1,000 British nationals as they seek to leave the region by land and air.
“We have deployed teams to Israel, Cyprus, Egypt and Jordan.”
Flight tracking websites showed a A-400M plane is scheduled to depart Tel Aviv for the UK’s military base in Larnaca, Cyprus.
Passengers are then expected to be transferred onto a civilian charter aircraft for their onwards journey to the UK.
The first Britons to be evacuated from Israel via this route landed at Birmingham airport in the early hours of Tuesday.
Jewish News revealed Chief Rabbi Empraim Mirvis and ex Labour MP Louise Ellman were among the passengers. Chief Rabbi and Louise Ellman among 63 British nationals evacuated by RAF from Israel
Israeli airline El Al is also operating a commercial flight from Tel Aviv to Heathrow airport, which is due to arrive at 8.20pm on Tuesday.
Falconer told the Commons that the “flow of flights out of Israel still remain limited” because of the country’s conflict with Iran.
He went on: “British nationals in Israel will want to make their own judgments about whether they will want to wait for a flight or make a land journey, and my officials are available to advise every constituent on the options before them.”
He added: “We are providing support and advice to more than 1,000 British nationals as they seek to leave the region by land and air.
“We have deployed teams to Israel, Cyprus, Egypt and Jordan.
“Our embassy in Tehran has been temporarily withdrawn but continues to provide support for British nationals in Iran remotely.”
Speaking after he arrived in the UK, the Chief Rabbi said he had been “overawed by the hand of God” and “inspired” by the “resilience of the people of Israel”.
“Valerie and I are grateful to HM Government for assisting with our return to the UK at a time when travel to and from Israel remains so difficult,” he added.
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