Radio Zet has learned that the evacuation of Polish citizens from Israel and the broader Middle East is tentatively scheduled for Monday or Tuesday. However, it has emerged that the operation will be carried out by private companies, and Polish nationals will be required to cover the cost of the journey themselves. This is how Prime Minister Tusk’s government, led by Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski, is handling the welfare of its citizens abroad.
This is What an Evacuation Looks Like Under Tusk
According to Radio Zet, “the transport arrangements are being coordinated by our embassy and consulate in Tel Aviv. The Polish diplomatic mission has a list of over 200 individuals currently in Israel who have registered in the Odysseus system.” The embassy has contracted a private company to transport Polish citizens by bus to Jordan or Egypt, from where they will fly to Europe. If extended waiting times for flights occur, additional overnight accommodations will be necessary.
Online commentators are sharply criticizing the government’s approach—accusing it of once again showing itself to be a “cardboard state,” one in which citizens cannot rely on their country, even in the face of armed conflict.
During the major evacuation in August 2021, the Polish state ensured the safe return not only of Polish nationals but also of Afghan citizens who had cooperated with Polish and allied forces in the region. At that time, the PiS government covered the full cost of repatriating its citizens.