NIZAMABAD: In light of the escalation between Iran and Israel, former president of the Israel Telangana Association (ITA), Soma Ravi, has expressed concern over the prevailing situation and asked Indian nationals living there to follow the directives of the Indian Embassy or the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
Speaking to TNIE over the phone, Ravi said many Indians living in Israel are unwilling to return to their native places as they can’t gauge the seriousness of the situation. Many Indians experienced a similar situation in October, he stated, adding that though few people left for their native places at that time, they soon returned to Israel.
A resident of Tel Aviv, the business capital of Israel, Ravi said he is in regular touch with authorities from the Indian Embassy. Stating that around 8,000 people from Telangana live in various parts of Israel, he said the situation has stressed people out.
While Israel had experienced many instances of hostilities from Hamas, a political and military movement governing the Gaza Strip, the former ITA president said the current escalation was unprecedented. “After the Hamas attacked Israel in October, the people witnessed a situation that resembled a war. Security officials were deployed and people were taken to the bunkers,” he recalled.
However, Ravi pointed out that it had been a while since the residents were allowed to come out of the bunkers and get on with daily life. However, he asserted that those living in the border areas with Palestine should be alert while stating that those in other parts of the country are under no direct threat.
In the wee hours of Sunday, Iran reportedly launched around 300 drones and missiles towards Israel in response to a raid on the Iranian consulate in Syria on April 1. The MEA called for “immediate de-escalation, exercise of restraint, stepping back from violence and return to the path of diplomacy”. “We are closely monitoring the evolving situation. Our embassies in the region are in close touch with the Indian community. It is vital that security and stability are maintained in the region,” it said.
“During the attack by Hamas, people in Israel saw that the defence technology is capable of thwarting missiles and drones and ensuring that the damage is limited to the minimum,” Ravi said.