Newsroom
The United States is allowing some of its embassy staff and their families to leave Israel, pointing to growing security concerns and warning that the window to exit could narrow quickly.
In a statement posted Friday, the U.S. Embassy said the departure applies to personnel who are not essential to emergency operations. Core staff will remain, but others have been given the green light to pack up and go.
The message was blunt. U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee told embassy employees that anyone who wants to leave should do so within the day.
At the same time, the embassy signaled it could tighten movement rules for American government workers and their families, including possible restrictions on travel to certain areas of Israel, the Old City of Jerusalem, and the West Bank, and it warned those limits could come without notice.
For everyday Americans in Israel, the advice was equally direct: consider leaving while commercial flights are still available.
The embassy did not spell out the exact threats behind the decision. But authorized departures like this are typically a sign that Washington sees enough risk to reduce its footprint, even if it’s not ordering a full evacuation.
