'Israel' feels under siege amid regional threats: Haaretz
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The Israeli occupation is spreading itself too thin and thus it is facing numerous regional enemies at the same time, putting it at great risk.
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Missiles are carried on a truck as an Iranian army band leader conducts the music band during Army Day parade at a military base in northern Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, April 17, 2024. (AP)
The Israeli occupation is not only feeling isolated but is also experiencing a sense of being under siege, particularly in the aviation sector, Israeli newspaper Haaretz said on Wednesday.
"Israel" is on high alert following threats from Iran and Hezbollah in response to the recent assassinations of Hezbollah commander Fouad Shokor in Beirut and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.
Haaretz said "Israel" was once an integral part of the global community, with flights arriving regularly and people moving freely. However, this reality has changed due to what it described as a "siege" and the accompanying hardships.
The newspaper noted that domestic flights within "Israel" have become almost impossible, with many settlers now staying close to fortified rooms out of fear of potential strikes.
The feeling of being under siege intensified last week, Haaretz reported, as foreign airlines began avoiding Tel Aviv. The situation worsened when Lufthansa, the second-largest airline in Europe in terms of passenger numbers and fleet size, stopped landing in occupied Palestine, signaling a collapse of the Israeli aviation sector.
Ticket prices have soared, with Haaretz citing an example where a one-way ticket from London to Tel Aviv on El Al Airlines for the upcoming Thursday costs $1,487. A round-trip ticket from Tel Aviv to London is priced at $2,366, with the added challenge that economy-class seats are currently unavailable.
The newspaper also pointed out that airline owners are among the few who are benefiting from the ongoing war and soaring tensions. El Al, a publicly traded company controlled by Eli Rozenberg, son of American billionaire Kenny Rozenberg, became the most profitable airline in the first quarter of this year, reporting a net profit of $80.5 million.
Nerve-racking period
An Israeli expert on "national security" affairs said on Monday that Israelis were living through a "nerve-racking" period in anticipation of the Iranian retaliation to Haniyeh's assassination.
Colonel Kobi Marom explained that this is part of Iran's strategy of attrition against "Israel".
In a related context, the Israeli website Walla pointed out that hospitals in northern occupied Palestine are on high alert, fearing scenarios where thousands of rockets might be launched by Hezbollah and Iran, which might result in thousands of casualties.
Read more: 'Israel' used US-made precision-guided bomb in Gaza school strike: CNN
The outlet added that any escalation in the war would mean road closures, power outages, and shortages of food and fuel for generators.
