Leave Lebanon now, Ottawa urges as most of the reduction in seats on flights – nationally
Fewer than one-third of Canadians in Lebanon are taking government-assisted flights out of the country when they are offered, officials said Tuesday, urging everyone to take advantage while it’s still available.
As of Tuesday, nearly 300 Canadians have left Lebanon on government chartered flights from Beirut to Istanbul, Global Affairs Canada’s top official said after discussing the ongoing operation. The government is booking seats on at least three more flights out of Beirut this week, the official confirmed, and other flights could be booked as needed in the coming days.
“If you’re offered a seat, please take it,” Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly told reporters in Ottawa on Tuesday.
“The truth is, the seats we were getting have not all been taken.”
Global Affairs Canada began reserving a large number of seats on commercial flights for Canadians to travel to Lebanon last week amid heightened conflict between Israel and the Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah.
The conflict continued on Tuesday after Iran, which supports Hezbollah and other proxies in the Middle East, fired about 200 missiles at Israel in retaliation for the killing of top Hezbollah officials over the weekend.
Israel continued to attack Lebanon after the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. It also launched a limited ground attack on communities in southern Lebanon early Tuesday. Hundreds of Lebanese have been killed in the strikes, including at least two Canadians.
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The Canadian government recognizes approximately 40,000 Canadian citizens, permanent residents and their spouses in Lebanon. Of those, 20,000 are registered in the government’s Canadian Abroad registration program to receive updates and information.
The Global Affairs Canada official said that the organization provided an entry form to all those who registered, and about 4,000 filled it out. Those 4,000 are screened to enter Canada and all will be given government-reserved seats on commercial flights.
Of the 1,700 people who have so far been screened and given seats, less than one-third have indicated that they will take them, said the official.
Those who refused the initial offer will continue to be offered seats on future flights, the official added.
Ferry services are also available from Beirut to Istanbul, but the official said the government does not yet have advance reservations on those ferries, telling only registered Canadians that it remains an option.
Canadians who want to travel with them can book their own seats on flights, but the government began to reserve seats as demand made booking them more difficult.
A commercial flight from Beirut to Istanbul on Middle Eastern airlines cost US$330 as of Tuesday, and the Canadian government says it is up to Canadians to cover both those costs and the last flight from Turkey to Canada. Global Affairs Canada’s consular services can provide loans to those who cannot pay those expenses immediately.
The official said the government understands both the financial concerns and the difficulties Canadians may have in leaving their homes and loved ones, but stressed the importance of leaving as soon as they can.
“I know it’s a difficult choice,” Joly said earlier Tuesday. “I know that the situation is very difficult, but what I prioritize is your safety.”
Blair said there are Canadian bases and airports in Turkey and Cyprus but the main focus is on using trade routes to get Canadian citizens out of Lebanon.
“We sent a lot of our people to the region. We have about 200 people in the area right now but we are increasing that number as needed,” he said.
Sources told Global News that military equipment had been pre-positioned in the region so that they could leave immediately if the evacuation was ordered.
A Global Affairs Canada official said there are contingency plans in place in case the situation worsens and airports are closed before charter flights are completed this week, but he would not provide details on those plans.
Canadian MPs are expected to hold an emergency debate in the House of Commons on Tuesday evening on the Lebanon crisis.
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