Israel war: More than 140 members of Congress urge State Department to charter flights out of Israel

A bipartisan group of more than 140 members of the House of Representatives is calling on the State Department to use all methods at its disposal, including chartering flights, for American citizens stranded in Israel.

The letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken was signed by 146 members of Congress, and the effort was led by Reps. Grace Meng (D-NY) and Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY). It urged immediate action as commercial airlines cancel flights from Israel and other countries evacuate their citizens from Israel.

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“While we appreciate the steps the Biden administration is taking to provide additional security assistance to Israel, we urge the State Department to use all resources at its disposal, including charter flights, to help those Americans that remain in Israel and wish to return to the United States,” the letter said.

Meng and Malliotakis urged Blinken to respond to their letter in statements on Tuesday. Meng said the return of American citizens should be a “top priority.”

“So many Americans in Israel continue to fear for their safety and want to return home immediately,” Meng said. “As we support our ally Israel with the necessary security assistance it needs in the coming days and weeks, we must also do everything possible to bring Americans back to the U.S. who are looking to do so. I urge the State Department to make their safe and swift return a top priority. I await Secretary Blinken’s response to our letter.”

Malliotakis argued that the United States should have a more direct role in getting citizens out of Israel, mentioning how Poland has worked to get its citizens out of the Middle Eastern country.

“If other countries like Poland have military planes on the ground and conducting evacuations, there’s no reason why the U.S. is not doing the same,” Malliotakis said. “We need immediate action from President Biden, the U.S. Department of State and Department of Defense to take swift action to get commercial, charter and military planes on the ground to get Americans home as quickly as possible.”

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Blinken announced earlier on Tuesday that he would be traveling to Israel to “engage with our Israeli partners directly about the situation on the ground.” The trip from Oct. 11-13 will also include a visit to Jordan.

Israel declared war against Hamas, the first time it had declared war since 1973, shortly after the attacks on Saturday. The conflict has killed at least 1,800 people in Israel and Gaza since the first terrorist attacks by Hamas, according to the Associated Press. Biden said in remarks on Tuesday that at least 14 Americans are among the dead in Israel.