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Suddenly the wonderful family vacation turns into a nightmare. The holiday destination turns into a war zone from one second to the next. Soldiers on the streets, checkpoints, sirens blaring, the ground shaking from the impact of the rockets. For many Swiss this is an unimaginable scenario. For some people with red passports staying in Israel, this is the new reality. They all want only one thing: to return home as soon as possible.
One of them is Nora Refaeil (52). The lawyer from Basel is vice-chairman of the Federal Commission against Racism FCR. She travels with friends through the Dead Sea region. She will not soon forget the moment she heard about the outbreak of violence.
“People slaughtered in the streets”
Two of her cousins called her almost at the same time. “I thought that was strange.” When Refaeil found out what had happened, she went into shock: “It took a few hours before we all understood what that meant. War has been declared.”
Since the war became known, there has been excitement and sometimes panic in the kibbutz (settlement, editor’s note). “We heard that people were being slaughtered in the streets! Imagine if that happened in Switzerland.” The news of more than 200 deaths in an attack on a party in the desert also horrified Refaeil’s traveling party.
There is now only one thing left for those stranded: to leave the country as quickly as possible. But it’s not that easy. There is war raging in the streets of the country, and safe behavior cannot be taken for granted. The Basel woman and her group are now heading to Tel Aviv, where her 80-year-old mother is waiting for them.
The EDA remains inactive
The Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) still has no intention of repatriating its own compatriots. The Swiss airline offers only one flight on Tuesday. According to information available to Blick, it is already fully booked.
This does not apply to other countries: Hungary brought back more than 200 compatriots on Monday evening, Bulgaria brought back 90. Refaeil is annoyed by the EDA’s passivity: “People feel insulted. We expect the FDFA to assist the Swiss people, communicate clearly with us and evacuate us. We need to get out of here urgently!” She is certainly not the only one with this demand.
A large number of Swiss compatriots are affected
Since the outbreak of violence in Israel, Blick has received a large number of messages. A family of six with children came forward, desperately waiting to finally be flown out. “What good is the Swiss passport if we can’t be taken home?!” writes another father who is stuck in Israel with his three children. He complains that other airlines such as Pegasus (Turkey) or Emirates (UAE) are still flying in and out. Only Swiss and the EDA left you in the dark. For stranded Swiss, the return home will certainly not become easier, says Nora Refaeil: “There is a huge war, a long war.”
A Swiss man, whose girlfriend is currently waiting for her return home, summed it up as follows in an email to Blick: “Official Switzerland is seriously disappointing!”
Source: Blick
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
