Israel’s newly appointed Chief Rabbanim, HaRav Dovid Yosef and HaRav Kalman Bar paskened that El Al can fly to Amsterdam on Shabbos to rescue the Israelis following the pogrom in the Netherlands. The heter will be re-evaluated based on hourly situational assessments.

Israel’s Transportation Ministry instructed El Al and Israir to add three flights to Amsterdam to rescue Israelis in addition to the three regularly scheduled flights. Israelis whose passports were stolen or lost will be allowed to board the flights without passports.

The flights will be free of charge for all passengers who had booked a return ticket from Amsterdam to Israel with El Al and all other airlines, the flag carrier says.

The first flight will depart from Amsterdam at 2 p.m. local time and arrive back in Israel on Friday evening, El Al says. It adds that two regularly scheduled flights will also depart Amsterdam for Tel Aviv later today, each carrying around 350 passengers.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)