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2024: Reports of plans to evacuate Canadians from the Lebanon/Middle East

Fly them out in Hercs and unload them in the first safe country they come to. If they want to come to Canada they can fly on their own dime from there.
Most countries are not too interested in a sudden influx of foreigners trapped in their countries. We aren’t the only one doing this.
 
Fly them out in Hercs and unload them in the first safe country they come to. If they want to come to Canada they can fly on their own dime from there.

Cyprus enters the chat ;)


Cyprus braces for migrant surge as war in Lebanon intensifies​

Thousands flee Beirut as Israeli strikes push Lebanon to the brink​


A year after hostilities erupted in Israel, the conflict has now expanded to Lebanon, reigniting fears about the stability of the Middle East.

According to Apostolos Tomaras' article published in Kathimerini Cyprus in Greek, intense Israeli airstrikes in the north are raising alarm over the potential collapse of Lebanon's political system, leading to widespread humanitarian concerns. Thousands of Lebanese civilians are fleeing Beirut, reversing years of progress and pushing the country closer to political chaos. The situation is causing growing anxiety not only among neighboring countries but also in the European Union (EU), which had recently offered political and financial support to Lebanon to prevent exactly this kind of fallout.

Cyprus is particularly concerned, given its geographical proximity to the conflict zone. Nicosia is closely monitoring the situation, with fears of a significant surge in migrant flows from Lebanon—a situation that the island nation is struggling to manage, even in more stable times. Although evacuations of third-country nationals from Lebanon remain controlled, Cyprus is preparing for potential escalation.


 
Cyprus enters the chat ;)


Cyprus braces for migrant surge as war in Lebanon intensifies​

Thousands flee Beirut as Israeli strikes push Lebanon to the brink​


A year after hostilities erupted in Israel, the conflict has now expanded to Lebanon, reigniting fears about the stability of the Middle East.

According to Apostolos Tomaras' article published in Kathimerini Cyprus in Greek, intense Israeli airstrikes in the north are raising alarm over the potential collapse of Lebanon's political system, leading to widespread humanitarian concerns. Thousands of Lebanese civilians are fleeing Beirut, reversing years of progress and pushing the country closer to political chaos. The situation is causing growing anxiety not only among neighboring countries but also in the European Union (EU), which had recently offered political and financial support to Lebanon to prevent exactly this kind of fallout.

Cyprus is particularly concerned, given its geographical proximity to the conflict zone. Nicosia is closely monitoring the situation, with fears of a significant surge in migrant flows from Lebanon—a situation that the island nation is struggling to manage, even in more stable times. Although evacuations of third-country nationals from Lebanon remain controlled, Cyprus is preparing for potential escalation.



And my understanding is that the deal with various countries is that any third country nationals that make it to Cyprus have 48 hours to get out of Cyprus once they arrive.
 
And my understanding is that the deal with various countries is that any third country nationals that make it to Cyprus have 48 hours to get out of Cyprus once they arrive.
It makes sense, but I wonder what the practical application of that is. If, like Canada, you have to pay to travel further, what if you can't/refuse to? Do we take you back? Do we expect connecting tickets or proof of sufficient funds before boarding in Beirut?
 
It makes sense, but I wonder what the practical application of that is. If, like Canada, you have to pay to travel further, what if you can't/refuse to? Do we take you back? Do we expect connecting tickets or proof of sufficient funds before boarding in Beirut?
Moving large numbers of people by boat to Cyprus and planes leave from there. Is suspect the planes leaving Beirut go to those countries that people have citizenship in.
 
Moving large numbers of people by boat to Cyprus and planes leave from there. Is suspect the planes leaving Beirut go to those countries that people have citizenship in.
My point. Cyprus is intended to be used by several western countries as a 'safe third country' because of its proximity and EU membership. The GofC website says Canadian citizens/PRs evacuated at government expense to a safe third country' will have to pay to travel further. With Cyprus taking to '48 hour or gone' position, I was wondering about the practical application of that.

People showing up by boat directly on Cyprus' shores is their problem to deal with.
 
Not sure. I bet it would compromise the deal in place and they wouldn’t allow said countries to move people to Cyprus first. Cyprus could deny any Canadian charter boat or aircraft to land. Anyone still in country gets arrested then deported.

I’m not that familiar with all of that though.
 
Let the outpouring continue ....
So has our ambassador performed the ritual fleeing the country in a panic aboard a half filled evacuation flight just as the crisis begins, yet ?
Or just will we just content ourselves under manning the switchboards. ? Staffed with people who only have a vague idea of where Lebanon is ?
 
You could hire 3rd tier cruise ships to transport them across the Atlantic to Canada. I hear the Atlantic is beautiful at this time of year.
 
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Or the Caribbean.
Some years back I talked to guy with Global Affairs. Who been involved with evacuation. Third tier ? They should have been so lucky.
Described one of the ships as held together with baling wire and chewing gum .
Apparently the ship been hired sight unseen as it were.
Watching the 2005 Lebanon crisis and Kabul . If I found myself overseas during some sort of disaster or war. The last people I would count on to get me out me is the Canadian Government.
I have no deep desire to have some bureaucrat announce that while they deeply regret my death. It's s my own damn fault for being dumb enough to believe that Government would actually be competent enough to pull off an evacuation.
No thank you I'll try and get out on my own
The really sad part is it really shouldn't be that hard .
 
As I recall that we discussed most of this back in 2005. A lot of people were of the opinion that the Uncle Rick's "big honkin' boat" was the answer .
But whatever the solution was we were all agreed at the very least we'd learned something from this and we'd be ready the next time it happened.
So how's that working out for us again ?
 
How long ago did the warnings to Canadian citizens start going out that they should leave Lebanon? How long before that were there travel advisories warning Canadians not to travel there? At what point does the individual become responsible for their situation rather than the government.

This isn't like the 2004 tsunami, an earthquake or an unexpected coup where Canadian travellers/dual citizens are caught unawares by events and need to be evacuated. These are people that chose to visit/live in a war zone and continued to do so while a semi-state actor (Hezbollah has representation in the Lebanese government) was launching ongoing attacks against a neighbouring state. They were then told explicitly that direct, escalated conflict with Israel was imminent and that they should leave the country. Is the Government of Canada now responsible to evacuate people that ignored these repeated warnings?
 
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