Interesting Psak: Rescue Flights not on Shabbos

With upwards of 150,000-200,000 Israelis stranded outside of Israel (I have seen some smaller numbers as well, from 100k) due to the closure of Israeli airspace since the attack on Iran, Israel has now begun operating rescue flights of airlifts of the stranded Israelis to bring them home. El Al is flying Israelis home from the various locations they were stranded such as Larnaca, France, USA, Cyprus, Thailand and others.

The question came up whether El Al can operate these flights on Shabbos to bring Israelis home. El Al asked the Chief Rabbi Rav Dovid Yosef about this. 

The Chief Rabbi paskened that unless there is an immediate danger to life, El Al cannot operate flights on Shabbos to bring the stranded people home. Because it is just a general situation of danger without any immediate threat, and there are no outstanding exceptional humanitarian or health cases, they cannot fly on Shabbos. They need to be brought home as quickly as possible but without violating Jewish tradition and halacha.

source: Kikar Shabbat and Makor Rishon

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