TRENTON, NJ – Hundreds, if not thousands of New Jerseyans are stranded in Israel after the terrorist attack launched last weekend by Hamas. The White House has launched a relief effort to safely evacuate Americans, but they are going to have to pay their fair share.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has issued Executive Order 23-208, aimed at facilitating the return of Floridians and other Americans from Israel during the ongoing crisis. The order enables the Florida Division of Emergency Management to carry out “logistical, rescue, and evacuation operations” to keep its residents safe. This move comes as the U.S. government requires evacuees to pay for their return journey.
According to the Executive Order, more than 20,000 Americans, including residents of Florida, are currently in Israel and wish to return home but are unable to do so. “This Executive Order allows the State of Florida to carry out logistical, rescue and evacuation operations to keep its residents safe,” the order states.
On the federal level, the U.S. government has also initiated plans to assist Americans wanting to leave Israel. In an email from the U.S. Department of State, Americans were told that transit options would begin on Friday, October 13, and would require evacuees to pay their own way. The email outlined strict luggage guidelines and stated that evacuees must sign an agreement to repay the U.S. government for the cost of their transportation. Furthermore, evacuees would not have the option to choose their destination; they would be assigned to the next available flight or ship to either Athens, Frankfurt, or Cyprus.
Contrasting the U.S. government’s approach, Governor DeSantis’s Executive Order specifically aims to bring Floridians home and transport necessary supplies to Israel at no cost to the evacuee. The decision has garnered attention as it diverges from the federal requirement for evacuees to fund their own return.
As both the state and federal governments work to address the situation, the contrasting approaches highlight differing stances on public responsibility in times of crisis. While the U.S. government opts for a repayment model, the State of Florida has stepped in to offer a free alternative for its residents, underlining the complex and multi-layered response to the ongoing emergency in Israel.