Israelis immigrate to Germany - Germans witnessing Israelis' return
New Headline:Germans Safely Home: Special Flights Escape Israel Conflict
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The conflict between Israel and Iran has left several Germans stuck in Israel, but thanks to a special flight, they've finally made it back to their home in Germany. After a tense week spent in Tel Aviv, these travelers landed at Frankfurt am Main's largest airport on Wednesday evening. With 171 people on board, this special flight from Amman, Jordan, was a welcome sight.
"These past few days in Tel Aviv have been nerve-wracking," said a relieved Lionel Reich upon his arrival. "There was an air raid alarm every two or three hours at night – it's hard not to worry with the sound of rocket impacts nearby." However, he's still worried about friends living in Tel Aviv, as their apartment was destroyed during the conflict.
Many of the returning Germans couldn't believe their luck at being back in their homeland: "I've never felt so happy to be home," said Daniel Halav, recalling his time as a stranded traveler in Tel Aviv. But he also expressed frustration with the federal government. "We were on our own when it came to getting to Amman," he grumbled. He felt his fellow travelers were left to fend for themselves when the German embassy was closed temporarily due to Israel's attacks on Iran.
Some travelers described their journey to Amman as "adventurous," but others praised Poland for organizing a convoy to Jordan for their citizens.
In response to these travelers' challenges, the German Foreign Office opted against organized trips from Israel to the airport in Jordan to avoid creating potential hazards. Instead, their messaging to those affected emphasized following the security instructions of the Israeli authorities, noting that overland travel and gatherings of people were currently discouraged.
While the government insisted these flights were not a formal repatriation or evacuation action but rather "commercial special flights" due to insufficient flight options from airlines, they promised to continue this service if the situation improved and there was a demand. A second special flight is planned for another day, but it’s already fully booked. As the ministry announced, another flight is in the works.
The German Foreign Office encourages those impacted by the conflict to register on their crisis preparedness list, Elfand, to stay informed about the special evacuation flights. Currently, there are over 4,000 Germans registered on Elfand who are in Israel, with over 1,000 registrations in Iran. Germans stranded in Iran are advised to travel overland to neighboring countries like Armenia, Turkey, or in some cases, Azerbaijan. From those countries, they can continue to Germany with commercial flights.
- Special flight
- Israel
- Iran
- Germany
- Amman
- Homecoming
- Tel Aviv
- Frankfurt
- Foreign Office
- Air raid
- Exodus
- Germany Airports
- Travel advisory
- German Embassy
- Crisis preparedness list
- Evacuation
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During the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict in June 2025, the German government organized multiple special flights to evacuate German nationals stranded in Israel amid closed airspace. Their efforts included indirect flights via Jordan and direct military flights from Tel Aviv, with the support of German embassy personnel at key transit points. Other countries are similarly helping their citizens return home amid regional instability and tightened security measures.
- Despite being stranded in the conflict-stricken Israel, Germans were able to return home safely thanks to the organized special flights by the German Foreign Office, with one such flight arriving at Frankfurt am Main from Amman, Jordan.
- The improved lifestyle of many travelers upon their homecoming to Germany can be compared to the challenging travel lifestyle they experienced in Tel Aviv during the Israel-Iran conflict, where air raid alerts and damaging attack sounds created an anxious atmosphere.
