China has asked its citizens to purchase commercial flight tickets to return home from Israel, prompting criticism and support online.
"Currently, the commercial flights between China and Israel are still operating. It is recommended that local Chinese citizens take commercial flights and return home as soon as possible," said Mao Ning, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, on Monday.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry had earlier said it would assist with the evacuation.
On October 7, Hamas led the deadliest Palestinian militant attack on Israel in history. Israel subsequently launched its heaviest ever airstrikes on Gaza. At least 1,300 people have been killed in Israel, the Associated Press reported. Over 2,300 people have been killed in Gaza, the AP reported, citing the Gaza Health Ministry.
"If any Chinese national hopes to leave the region, we will do everything possible to assist them if it's safe to do so," said Wang Wenbin, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, on October 10.
The latest announcement by the Foreign Ministry has started a debate among China's netizens about the government's responsibility toward its citizens stranded in Israel.
Though a significant section of Chinese social media users have said the nationals in Israel should pay their own way back to China, others have hit back, with one saying, "What's the point of having a Chinese passport?"
"Commercial flights are still operating now, so hurry up and buy a ticket to return home. Evacuations are also in third countries, like Poland and Saudi Arabia. You have to buy your own air ticket back home," said a user backing the government's announcement.
Newsweek has independently confirmed that commercial flights between Tel Aviv and major Chinese cities are still operating.
Other users criticized the move by Beijing.
"Where is this weird energy? It seems that our previous evacuation of overseas Chinese was all fake. What about making a movie? Could you please take a good look at the news content?" said a user, citing the recent Chinese blockbuster Home Coming.
In that movie, Chinese nationals stranded in Libya are rescued by Chinese diplomats as people celebrate "holding a Chinese passport." The movie has set expectations, reflecting government propaganda that the Chinese government will rescue citizens from abroad when they get stuck in a situation like the Israel war.
The hashtag "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommends that Chinese citizens in Israel return to their country as soon as possible" began to trend on Weibo on Monday after the foreign ministry press conference. The hashtag reached second position on the trending topic list and was viewed over 41 million times.
Meanwhile, other countries have organized special evacuation missions for their citizens coordinated between diplomatic missions.
On Sunday, the U.S. embassy in Israel announced the evacuation of its citizens on a ship to Cyprus. The ship will depart from Haifa in northern Syria on Monday.
Hungary's Air Force rescued 325 people from Israel, including some of its own citizens and other European Union nationals.
India has brought back over 800 nationals from Israel on three flights over the past few days and more flights are planned.
South Korea on Saturday organized an evacuation flight to transport 51 Japanese citizens to Seoul at no cost. Meanwhile, the Japanese government chartered a plane to evacuate its citizens, but charged them $200 per person, and took them only to Dubai.
On Monday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said the death toll of Chinese nationals in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict had risen to four.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Aadil Brar is a reporter for Newsweek based in Taipei, Taiwan. He covers international security, U.S.-China relations, and East Asian ... Read more
