Israeli aid group leaves Turkey due to security threat

• An Israeli search and rescue organization, was evacuated from Turkey.
• Due to a “serious security threat.”
• Due to intelligence of a concrete and immediate threat.

United Hatzalah, an Israeli search and rescue organization, announced on Sunday that it was departing Turkey after six days there owing to a “serious security threat” against the organization.

United Hatzalah chief executive Eli Pollack and vice president of operations Dov Maisel said in a statement they had “received intelligence of a concrete and immediate threat on the Israeli delegation and we have to put the security of our personnel first.”

“We knew that there was a certain level of risk in sending our team to this area of Turkey, which is close to the Syrian border but we took the necessary steps in order to mitigate the threat for the sake of our lifesaving mission,” Maisel said.

The decision came following a “a joint situational assessment with the heads of the [Israel Defense Forces] Home Front Command and Search and Rescue Units which took place on Saturday night,” they said.

The late American Republican megadonor Sheldon Adelson’s widow Miriam provided her private jet to fly the delegation back to Israel on Sunday due to the urgency of the group’s departure and the “lack of suitable planes.”

“We are extremely proud of what our team has accomplished in just a few days, assisting in the rescue of 15 individuals in cooperation with the IDF Home Front Command, Israel’s Search and Rescue units, local rescue forces, and the Turkish Red Cross,” Maisel said. “I want to thank Dr. Adelson for assisting us in bringing our people back quickly and safely.”

IsraAid, a second Israeli humanitarian organization, is still active in Turkey.

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