US envoy tells embassy staff who want to leave Israel to do so 'today' - NYT
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee urged embassy staff in Jerusalem on Friday to leave the country immediately if they wish to depart, citing security concerns, New York Times reported.
In an email sent to mission employees at 10:24 a.m. local time, Huckabee said those who want to leave “should do so TODAY” and advised them to secure seats on outbound flights from Ben-Gurion Airport as soon as possible.
The embassy has shifted to an “authorized departure” status, allowing nonessential personnel and their family members to leave at government expense, he wrote, describing the move as taken out of “an abundance of caution” after consultations with the State Department.
“There is no need to panic,” Huckabee said in the email, but added that it was important to make plans to depart “sooner rather than later.”
The warning comes as tensions rise over the prospect of a US strike on Iran. Israel could face retaliation by Iran or its allies in the event of military action.
A State Department travel advisory issued earlier on Friday authorized the departure of non-emergency US government personnel from Israel due to safety risks.
