IN ISRAEL: Maria Bovim-Rabey and her daughters Sophia (10) and Emilia (8) live in Israel. Now Maria hopes that they will make it home to Norway.
The family of four spends the nights together in a 16 square meter shelter. Now Maria Bovim-Rabey hopes that the Foreign Ministry will help Norwegian residents home.
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With the exception of a two-year stay at home in Norway, Maria Bovim-Rabey from Oslo has lived in Israel since 2010.
Now she wants to return home to Norway with her daughters.
– We have tried to call. We have written e-mails, and we have tried to contact the embassy directly – and have been told that it is closed. We have also contacted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but only received a standard response in return, Bovim-Rabey tells VG.
Both Maria Bovim-Rabey and her husband Ilan Rabey work as doctors in Tel Aviv.
Israeli soldiers carry out a body after the attack on Kibbutz Kfar Aza in southern Israel. Photo: RONEN ZVULUN / REUTERS
On Saturday, the conflict in Israel and Palestine escalated.
Hamas launched thousands of missiles at Israeli cities – and militant members of the organization moved into Israel and took hostages. Among other things, at a rave festival – where several of the participants were young.
Over 1,000 Israelis have been confirmed killed since then. On the Palestinian side, the Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip has so far reported at least 830 deaths, according to NTB.
– We are lucky enough not to have close family or friends who have been affected, but unfortunately we know several people who have lost their lives. We have spoken to other Norwegians and Israelis who have good friends who have been killed, and some who have also been taken hostage. We feel lucky to have been spared the worst. It is horrible to hear how it has developed, says Bovim-Rabey to VG.
In the wake of Hamas’ attack, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared that they are now at war. And Israel has counter-attacked in Gaza.
MISSILES: The Israeli air defense system Iron Dome stops rockets over the city of Ashkelon on Tuesday. Photo: JACK GUEZ / AFP / NTB
There are several Norwegians in Israel who are desperate to return home, but for now there is little help from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
– There are some commercial flights out of Israel, but there are limited seats and frequent cancellations. Travelers are encouraged to contact their travel agent and insurance agency, and to follow advice from local authorities. Norwegian authorities have very limited opportunities to assist Norwegian citizens in Israel, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement to VG on Monday.
Both Italy, Poland and Austria have sent military planes to evacuate their citizens from Israel, the Dutch report The Telegraph. Now the Netherlands will also have to do the same.
– It is experienced as very disappointing that we do not get concrete advice from the Norwegian authorities, says Bovim-Rabey to VG.
An Israeli man looks at the damage from a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip in Tel Aviv, Israel, Saturday, October 7. Photo: Moti Milrod / AP
There are several Norwegians who are trying to get out of Israel.
VG wrote on Monday about Roseanne Hekneby, who has spent NOK 30,000 on plane tickets out of the country, but all the departures were cancelled.
Bovim-Rabey knows several people in the same situation.
– We have all tried to book tickets up to several times, which have been cancelled. And it feels uncertain when flying resumes.
When the alarm went off on Saturday morning, Maria’s eldest daughter was in hospital in Tel Aviv with appendicitis.
She describes the experience as terrifying.
– We had to go out into the hallway at the hospital with an IV and a child who couldn’t walk, because there were no shelters there, she says.
At home in the home in Ramet Aviv – a stone’s throw from the Norwegian embassy in Israel – the family of four sleeps in a 16 square meter shelter.
– How do the children take this?
– All things considered, they are quite calm. Now everything is put on hold. It’s not a school – and we stay close to home. Where we live, there are still people playing outside on the grass. But if the sirens wail, you should get to safety and preferably in a bomb shelter within 1–2 minutes, she says.
NEW ATTACKS: The Israeli city of Ashdod in the south was exposed to new rocket attacks on Monday. Rescue crews rushed to the scene Photo: AHMAD GHARABLI / AFP / NTB
The plan for Maria and the children is to get home to Norway, while the husband will stay behind and continue his work at the hospital.
– It will be the most difficult thing about this, leaving him, if we get away with it. But we respect his desire not to leave his own country in war, she says.
– What do you hope the Norwegian authorities will do now?
– I hope we can send planes so that all those who want to go home to Norway can be brought home. There were 190 who got off today in a private chartered plane, but there are many left. One thinks in particular of families with children and small children who are exposed to this. At the same time, our thoughts also go to the innocent on both sides of the border who constantly live in insecurity, says Bovim-Rabey.
ACTION IS REQUIRED: FRP leader Sylvi Listhaug wants Norwegians in Israel to return to Norway – at the state’s expense. Photo: Frode Hansen / VG
FRP leader Sylvi Listhaug reacts to the fact that the government is not doing enough to bring Norwegians in Israel home to Norway. She believes the state must pick up the bill.
On Wednesday, Jonas Gahr Støre reports to the Storting on the situation in the Middle East.
Frp leader Sylvi Listhaug will take up the matter there.
– It is fantastically good that the 190 Norwegians are now getting home. I react to the fact that they feel they have not received enough help and that they feel left to fend for themselves. What they say is that there are several Norwegians down there who still can’t get out.
– The Norwegian authorities must know their visiting hours and help Norwegians in Israel to Norway. The FRP expects the government to assist Norwegians who are left behind, Listhaug stated to VG.
Published:
Published: 11.10.23 at 05:27
Updated: 11.10.23 at 05:38
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2023-10-11 03:27:12
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