When can stranded Israelis go home?

Israel’s airspace remains closed with no end in sight, leaving thousands of Israelis stranded abroad. In an interview on Early Edition, Shmuel Zakai, Director of the Israel Airports Authority, estimated that it will take weeks, not days or hours, for stranded citizens to return home. “We’re in the final stages of coordinating alternative transport solutions,” he said.

Despite prior preparations, Zakai cautioned that resuming flights will be a slow, gradual process. “We won’t return to full operations quickly. It will be phased, and there may be pauses,” he explained. “Our top priority is preventing harm to people and aircraft.”

Zakai attributed the ongoing suspension to security concerns: “We’re in full coordination with the defense establishment. Only when we’re confident the risk to landing aircraft is minimal will we resume aviation activity.”

Behind the Operation to Evacuate Israeli Aircraft

Zakai revealed that months of planning went into the operation to protect Israel’s aircraft fleet. “The first thing we did was evacuate as many planes as possible from Israel to ensure their safety,” he said, noting that only a small circle of trusted partners was informed before the strikes.

“The second step was positioning the fleet closer to Israelis abroad,” Zakai added. “This was meticulously planned. The fact that crews reached the planes and foreign airports accepted them shows the operation’s complexity.”