The US will evacuate Americans in Israel by sea

[Donkees]

From CNN’s Victoria Eastwood

The United States government will evacuate its nationals from Israel to Cyprus by sea, the US Embassy in Israel said.

Only US nationals and their immediate family members will be eligible for passage. The ship will depart Haifa, a city in northern Israel, on Monday. The journey is expected to take about 10 to 12 hours.

US citizens and their families will be responsible for arranging their own travel to Haifa and their own accommodations and onward travel from Cyprus, according to the embassy announcement.

[Tetrachloride]

1. Lawyers wrote the announcement

[sanatanadharma]

2. Uruguay flew citizens out of Israel and is planning more plane flights ...

Uruguay flew citizens out of Israel and is planning more plane flights ...

...Uruguay brings its citizens home to Uruguay.
Civilized country!

[Donkees]

3. Some US Charter Flights have already departed ... see bolded sentence below:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100218360527

First US charter flight for Americans leaving Israel is en route to Europe

From CNN's Betsy Klein

The first charter flight that the US State Department organized to get its citizens out of Israel has departed, the White House confirmed Friday.

The flight "is en route right now into Europe," National Security Council coordinator for strategic communications John Kirby told reporters.

He declined to provide an exact destination for the flight.

➡️ Additional flights will be “departing in the coming days,” he added, saying the State Department will organize charter flights “for as long as there is a demand from US citizens for departure assistance.”

The US is offering the arrangements for US citizens and their immediate family members who have been unable to book commercial tickets, he said. ➡️The US is also looking for ways to “expand capacity” via transportation by sea.

[Ace Rothstein]

11. Uruguay probably has a fraction of the number of people that we have in Israel.

They aren't comparable situations.

[sanatanadharma]

22. Similarly, Uruguay has a fraction of the resources of the USA

Arkansas is the closest State for comparisons of area, population and density.
Uruguay also worked to repatriate all citizens, willing, world wide, during the pandemic.

[Hekate]

29. See: US charter flights in post above

[Donkees]

4. Before boarding the ship, you will be asked to sign a promissory note - agreement to repay the U.S.

Travelers cannot bring pets.

Before boarding the ship, you will be asked to sign a promissory note (agreement to repay the U.S. government) for the cost (available at https://eforms.state.gov/Forms/ds5528.PDF). Having a complete DS 5528 promissory with you on arrival will help expedite your departure process.

Travel within Israel is conducted at your own risk, and plans may change depending on the security situation. The U.S. government is unable to guarantee your safety.

https://il.usembassy.gov/security-alert-10/

[AntivaxHunters]

5. People have to pay? What?

[Donkees]

6. "Evacuation Loan"

I clearly understand that I am accepting evacuation of my own free will and at my own risk to a location chosen by the U.S. Government. The mode of transportation may be via charter or military transport. I also understand that the evacuation flight may not comply with normal international safety or luggage/cargo regulations/standards. In the case of military aircraft travel, the U.S. Government acts only as an agent and not as a contract carrier.

U.S. Citizens: I promise to repay the U.S. Government in U.S. dollars or the foreign currency equivalent, within 30 days of initial billing, and if not repaid within 60 days of initial billing at an interest rate established in accordance with Federal law, for all applicable expenses for my/our evacuation. This evacuation loan is in addition to any other U.S. Government loans received for other purposes. I will keep the Department of State's Accounts Receivable Branch informed of my address(es) until I repay my loan in full. If I am unable to pay this loan in full, the Department of State may, at its discretion and upon my request, forward to me an installment agreement
containing an installment plan for repayment of my loan.


I will be billed for the cost of my/our transportation no greater than the amount of a full-fare economy flight, or comparable alternate transportation, to the designated destination(s) that would have been charged immediately prior to the events giving rise to the evacuation.

My obligation to repay my loan will not be considered paid in full until it clears through the account of the Treasurer of the United States.

Until I have paid my loan in full, I and all listed U.S. citizen family members will only be eligible for a limited validity U.S. passport.

If my loan is in default, I and all listed U.S. citizen family members will not be eligible for a limited validity U.S. passports.
My loan will be subject to interest, penalties, and other charges for late payment as directed by law and regulation.
I will be liable to pay any costs for collection.

https://eforms.state.gov/Forms/ds5528.PDF

[AntivaxHunters]

8. This is one of the most ridiculous things I have ever heard of

[pinkstarburst]

20. Seems fair

They are only being asked to pay the cost of an airplane flight. Why is this a problem?

[prodigitalson]

31. that's what taxes are for

[SickOfTheOnePct]

32. I don't care

Whether the US government charges them or not, but people acting like this is some big ask confuses me.

Had there been no war, they would have had to pay to come home, no? And as the US isn’t bringing them back to the US, but only to a safer location, they’re still going to have to pay to come home.

People are acting like this is some kind of life changing money that is going to put people into lifelong debt.

It’s not.

[prodigitalson]

33. no, it's not... it's just kind of chickenshit

[SickOfTheOnePct]

7. Of course

Anyone there would have had to pay airfare to leave…problem was there was no airfare because there were no flights.

[AntivaxHunters]

9. I don't think people should have to pay

To be tested out of a war zone.
I'm sorry but this is very messed up.
It's the rights & responsibility of our government to rescue citizens abroad in danger. It shouldn't be done Capitalist scam. This is why people pay taxes.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

10. You're welcome to your opinion n/t

[AntivaxHunters]

12. I just don't think

This is right.

"Hi! We're here to rescue you but first you have to sign this loan before we help you!" is gross 🤢

I mean WTAF?

[SickOfTheOnePct]

15. I'm agnostic on it

Make them pay, don’t make them pay, I don’t really care.

I’m just not shocked by it because this is tandard practice for as long as I can remember.

[Donkees]

16. It's the same now with the evacuation flights, though they were free previously

Kirby deferred to the State Department when asked if the charter flights would be free of charge, though he said in most previous cases flights were free.

State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said the charter flights will allow U.S. citizens “to make their own onward travel arrangements to the destination of their choice.” Miller added that the initial transportation options “will be augmented in the coming days” and that the initial charter flight options will facilitate the departure of “thousands of U.S. citizens per week.”

[AntivaxHunters]

17. That's a whole other level of predatory loans

I'd love to see someone challenge this.
What are they going to do, refuse them rescue? That would not play out well in the media or the world stage at all.
It's gross.

[Donkees]

19. Nancy Pelosi challenged this in 2006

In July 2006, when the State Department was evacuating U.S. citizens out of Lebanon, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Sen. John Sununu, R-N.H., called on the State Department to not charge U.S. citizens. The department dropped plans to seek reimbursement.

In 2021, the State Department initially said it would charge U.S. citizens $2,000 to evacuate from Afghanistan, but it backtracked.

PolitiFact asked the White House whether the Biden administration is considering lifting the requirement for reimbursement but received no immediate response. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby announced plans Oct. 12 to have chartered flights but did not share any details.

https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2023/oct/13/brian-krassenstein/why-do-americans-have-to-pay-for-a-state-departmen/

[AntivaxHunters]

21. She hopefully will again too

I have lots of faith in her 👍🏼

[dalton99a]

14. It is standard procedure for U.S. government-assisted evacuations

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/emergencies/for-evacuated-citizens.html

Generally, individuals evacuated on a U.S. government-coordinated transport, including charter and military flights or ships, even if those transports are provided by another country’s government, must sign an Evacuee Manifest and Promissory Note (Form DS-5528) note prior to departure. The Department of State uses the Form DS-5528 to document who got on which transport, and it lets us know how to contact evacuees for billing purposes.

U.S. law requires that departure assistance to private U.S. citizens or third country nationals be provided “on a reimbursable basis to the maximum extent practicable.” By taking a U.S. government coordinated transport, evacuees are obligated to repay the cost of their transportation. The amount billed to evacuees is based on the cost of a full fare economy flight, or comparable alternate transportation, to the designated destination(s) that would have been charged immediately prior to the events giving rise to the evacuation. Because different evacuation transports may go to different destinations, the cost of one transport may be different than another. We encourage people to leave on the first transport they are able and eligible to board.

You should make evacuation loan payments to the U.S. Department of State through the Comptroller and Global Financial Services (CGFS) office in Charleston, South Carolina. CGFS is working closely with our other Bureaus, Posts and Embassies to gather all of the necessary documentation in order to process loans and prepare bills.

Payment will be due within 30 days from the bill date. In accordance with federal debt collection regulations, if full payment is not received within 30 days from the due date, interest and a $50.00 administrative charge for processing and handling will be assessed.

If this account becomes 90 days past due, then penalties will be assessed on the unpaid balance. Once a debt has been delinquent for 90 days, the debt will be referred to the Department of Treasury for collection and they may collect the debt via administrative offset of federal payment (e. g tax returns, social security), referral to a private collection agency, referral to credit bureaus, through administrative wage garnishment and/or through other actions permitted by law.

[AntivaxHunters]

18. It's very wrong

And a whole other level of predatory loans. Sheesh.
I'd love to see someone refuse to sign something.
What would the US do? Not rescue them because they didn't want to sign their life away over a loan to be rescued?

Ya that'll play out well on the world stage & in the media.

"Johnny & Susie are still trapped in Palestine because they refused to sign a loan to pay for their rescue from a war zone where war broke out when they were there on vacation." is pretty awful. People would flip out.

[pinkstarburst]

23. "Sign their life away?"

Did you read the information presented? They are asking that people pay the cost of a plane ticket.

This seems perfectly reasonable to me. Or, if they would rather, they can stay in Israel and wait until commercial airlines begin flying again, at which point they will still have to pay the cost of a plane ticket to fly home.

[AntivaxHunters]

25. Nobody should have to pay anything

And it's messed up they have to.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

24. As I said

I don’t care either way, but you seem to be exaggerating. Had flights been available, Johnny & Susie would have already bought tickets out. I don’t see the big deal about asking them to do it for the government to get them out. We’re not talking life changing money here; it’s a plane ticket.

[AntivaxHunters]

26. I'm sick & tired of Capitalism exploiting people

And this is a prime example of it
American's needing to be rescued shouldn't have to pay anything & we're not talking a flight from Chicago to Dallas here but an international charter flight that likely costs several thousands of dollars. We all know that the government pays $27 for a roll of toilet paper. What do you think a private company is going to charge for international flights? A shit ton.

Pelosi tried changing this as stated above.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

27. I suggest you read the letter

It specifically talks about the cost being limited to a full fare economy ticket as priced prior to the crisis.

You can rail about capitalism, but companies aren’t going to do this for free, nor should they. The government will pay what isn’t covered by any reimbursement.

I have no issue if the government wants to pick up the whole bill, but I also don’t see it as a huge burden on the evacuees, since they would have had to buy a ticket to come home has none of this happened.

As I said, this not life changing money…it’s a plane ticket. And the government isn’t evacuating them back to the US - they’re being evacuated to other, safer locations, and from there they will need to make their own travel arrangements.

***edited to add: one way flight from Haifa to Cyprus in June of this year was $249. Also added info about where they’re being evacuated to.

[Zeitghost]

28. Uh, this is not capitalism

The government providing air travel out of a war zone for the price of a commercial ticket prior to the area becoming a war zone is not how capitalism works.


There are capitalist, market priced options, to fly out of Israel right now on private charters. The cost is, understandably, extremely high. Likely well into the six figures if not more.

[AntivaxHunters]

34. Yes it is Capitalism

Companies compete via GSA auctions to provide services. It's literally free market Capitalism.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

36. Not for emergency services

Plus GSA only applies to American companies, and I highly doubt they are using American companies.

Should the companies just provide these services for free?

[Zeitghost]

40. No, it's not

You don't get transportation out of a war zone that commercial airlines are refusing to fly in and out of for the price of a one way economy ticket.

The market price for air transport out of Israel isn't a few hundred bucks on the open market right now.

What the contractors are getting paid by the government is not what those being transported out are paying, the government is subsidizing the vast difference between the two. That is not how unfettered capitalism works.

You could not be more wrong on this issue.

[Hekate]

30. You would certainly have the option of refusing to board the ship or plane & make your own ...

…arrangements for getting out of the war zone. You would, of course, have to pay those other people up-front — if you could locate them at all in the emergency situation.

There. Now do you feel better?

[AntivaxHunters]

35. I'd feel better if people weren't paying a thing

Because that is the right thing to do.
Why the snark?
This entire thing is awful & as was said above Pelosi tried to change it. And she will likely try again too I'd think.

[Hekate]

38. Nothing wrong with my observations as far as I can tell. The opening salvos to this discussion ...

… fell into the category of “No good deed goes unpunished.” I’m sure it could be better — for instance, Hamas might be persuaded to not shoot at any refugees, but that may be beyond America’s control at this moment.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

39. We'll said n/t

[SickOfTheOnePct]

37. Yep

So much angst over a few hundred dollars.

[EndlessWire]

13. Signing under duress, I would think.

It's just wrong. And, the optics of it are bad. Just consider it a school loan, in the School of Hard Knocks.