A group from a British Columbia church that was touring historical sites in Israel during the recent conflict with Hamas is facing difficulties getting back home due to the chaos of the war and a lack of support from the Canadian government. Paul Olson, an executive pastor at the SouthRidge Fellowship Church in Langley, received numerous messages from church members on the tour confirming their safety after waking up on Saturday. Despite this, he was concerned about how to evacuate them.
“When this happened over the weekend, there was absolutely no support from the Canadian Consulate. Air Canada had no clue how to assist them,” Olson said. “And the Canadian government was of no help at all.” By Monday, the Canadian government had issued warnings to stay away from the Gaza Strip and southern Israel, but the church group still felt isolated.
“They didn’t provide any guidance or instructions,” Olson added. Since Hamas initiated attacks and infiltration across the Israeli border, over 2,500 people have lost their lives on both sides. According to Olson, the tour group relocated to northern Israel to distance themselves from the conflict and make arrangements for a safe return home. They eventually reached Jordan, hoping to find a flight from there.
Olson explained that they tried to contact the government, but the office was closed for the Thanksgiving holiday. Even after it reopened on Monday, their calls went unanswered. “So, it wasn’t very helpful. It was really disappointing,” Olson expressed. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Thursday that a Royal Canadian Air Force plane carrying 130 people from Tel Aviv had landed in Athens.
However, Olson stated that the group is aware of these evacuation efforts but does not want to return to Israel just to catch a flight home. “At this point, they haven’t heard anything from the Canadian government,” he said. Uncertainty remains regarding whether they will be able to secure seats on an Air Canada flight. “It’s a complicated process to evacuate everyone simultaneously. We don’t want to send just one or two individuals. We want to get everyone out together.”
The SouthRidge Fellowship Church has been organizing trips to Israel every five years to explore historical sites while retracing the path of Jesus. As of Thursday, there were over 5,685 registered Canadians in Israel, and 465 registered in the West Bank and Gaza. Global Affairs Canada has responded to 2,793 inquiries since the conflict began on October 7.
(© 2023 The Canadian Press)
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