In a distressing turn of events, American citizens trapped in Israel due to unforeseen circumstances are being compelled by the Biden administration to sign promissory notes to cover all travel costs if they opt for rescue by the U.S. government.
This move sparked outrage and disappointment among those who expected their government to provide support and protection during such a crisis.
Yitz Friedman, the communications manager at the American Accountability Foundation, shared his harrowing experience of being stranded in Israel. He criticized the U.S. State Department’s failure to assist its citizens in crisis situations.
#Breaking News: Reports are coming in that the Biden admin is telling American citizens in Israel that they’ll have to pay reimbursements if they’re evacuated from Israel.
This coming just one day after the Biden admin informed Americans still stuck that they need to find… pic.twitter.com/2fkoSeHspy
— 🇺🇸Travis🇺🇸 (@Travis_in_Flint) October 12, 2023
Friedman and his wife found themselves stuck in Israel after their original flight back to the U.S. was canceled. When they sought help from the U.S. embassy, they were essentially told to fend for themselves.
The U.S. State Department’s Consular Affairs Crisis Management System (CACMS) has been accused of leaving many American citizens in the lurch. The department has demanded that stranded citizens sign promissory notes as a precondition for any assistance in evacuating from the crisis-hit region.
The email sent to American citizens outlined the so-called “assisted departure options,” stating that the U.S. government would offer loans for transportation.
This approach by the Biden administration has been seen as a financial burden on Americans wishing to depart Israel. The email explicitly states “departure assistance is provided via a loan from the U.S. government, which requires travelers to sign a promissory note (an agreement to repay) prior to departure.”
Why is the Biden admin telling American citizens in Israel that they’ll have to pay reimbursements if they’re evacuated from Israel? What is wrong with you all? pic.twitter.com/xjngr6GnK6
— Tony Seruga (@TonySeruga) October 12, 2023
Friedman expressed his gratitude towards former President Trump’s foreign policy initiatives, particularly the Abraham Accords, which facilitated diplomatic relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates.
He stated without the Abraham Accords, the option to fly to a “friendly Arab country” during a time of war would have been unthinkable. However, thanks to these accords, he and his wife were able to leave Israel via an Emirates flight and find safety in Dubai.
This is not the first time the Biden administration has been accused of abandoning its citizens. A report by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee revealed that up to 9,000 Americans were left behind in Afghanistan to fend for themselves against the Taliban in 2022.
The current situation raises serious questions about the Biden administration’s commitment to protecting its citizens abroad.
A requirement for stranded Americans to sign promissory notes to cover their evacuation costs seems to contradict the fundamental role of a government in ensuring the safety and welfare of its citizens, especially during times of crisis.
