Israel has assisted more than 2,000 Israelis stuck in Turkey, after a worldwide flight ban has left tens of thousands stranded in regional airports.
El Al, in cooperation with the Transportation Ministry, sent planes to Athens while a Turkish carrier was due to bring Israelis to the Greek capital where they were transfer to the Israeli aircraft and return to the airport in Tel Aviv.
The Israelis have been successfully moved to Athens, from where they were flown back to Israel. Turkey's national carrier was originally slated to work with El-Al, Israel's national carrier, to help return stranded passengers home, after smaller carriers stopped flights to Ben-Gurion airport - but later, apparently, failed to lift its own ban as well.
Overnight Thursday/Friday, El-Al conducted three special flights to Athens; another 'rescue flight' was sent by Arkia. The Ministry of Transport is scrambling to bring every Israeli stranded in Turkey home before Shabbat. Anti-semitism has skyrocketed in Turke since Israel launched its self-defense operation against Gaza, Operation Protective Edge, which is now in its 20th day.
