The government has condemned the Palestinian militant group Hamas’ attack on Israeli civilians on Saturday that killed hundreds of people, as it raised its travel warning for the Middle Eastern country.
President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) also conveyed her condolences to those injured and killed, as well as the concern of Taiwanese for Israelis’ safety, Presidential Office spokeswoman Olivia Lin (林聿禪) said
As a democratic nation, Taiwan vehemently opposes all forms of terroristic threats and condemns attacks on civilians, Lin said.
Photo: AFP
Taiwan is committed to collaborating with like-minded nations to resist any manifestations of threats that jeopardize democracy and freedom, she added.
In a news release late on Saturday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs “condemned the terrorist attacks against innocent Israeli civilians carried out by Hamas.”
Upon learning of the attacks, Department of West Asian and African Affairs Director-General Anthony Ho (賀忠義) immediately extended the nation’s condolences to Israeli Representative to Taiwan Maya Yaron, it said.
Lin yesterday said that Tsai has instructed the ministry and Taiwan’s representative office in Israel to gather information on the status of Taiwanese citizens in the area to ensure their safety.
Five tour groups in Israel, comprising 124 people from Taiwan, are safe, the Tourism Administration said.
One of the groups, with Lion Travel Service Co (雄獅旅行社), was to return to Taiwan yesterday, while a group with Yung Shin Travel Service Co (永信旅行社) is to cancel parts of its itinerary and return to Taiwan as soon as possible, the administration said in a statement, adding that the other three groups are in northern Israel and have not been affected.
It said that it is closely monitoring the situation and would offer assistance as needed.
Travel Quality Assurance Association (旅行業品保協會) spokesman Lee Chi-yuen (李奇嶽) said that local travel agencies are likely to suspend tour groups to Israel temporarily or alter their itineraries.
The Taipei-based association said that fewer than 10,000 Taiwanese travel to Israel in tour groups annually, making the country a relatively small tourist market due to the lack of direct flights and high travel costs.
The foreign ministry raised its travel alert for Israel to “yellow” following Saturday’s attack, advising people to reconsider any travel plans to Israel and pay special attention to their safety if travel is unavoidable.
Under the ministry’s four-color travel alert system, the lowest warning level is gray, followed by yellow, orange and red. The red alert advises people to refrain from traveling to the country or region in question.
In case of emergency when visiting Israel, Taiwanese are advised to call the nation’s representative office at 972-544-275-204 or the ministry’s Taipei headquarters’ toll free hotline at 886-800-085-095 to seek assistance, it added.
FREEDOM OF NAVIGATION: The UK would continue to reinforce ties with Taiwan ‘in a wide range of areas’ as a part of a ‘strong unofficial relationship,’ a paper said The UK plans to conduct more freedom of navigation operations in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea, British Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs David Lammy told the British House of Commons on Tuesday. British Member of Parliament Desmond Swayne said that the Royal Navy’s HMS Spey had passed through the Taiwan Strait “in pursuit of vital international freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.” Swayne asked Lammy whether he agreed that it was “proper and lawful” to do so, and if the UK would continue to carry out similar operations. Lammy replied “yes” to both questions. The
‘OF COURSE A COUNTRY’: The president outlined that Taiwan has all the necessary features of a nation, including citizens, land, government and sovereignty President William Lai (賴清德) discussed the meaning of “nation” during a speech in New Taipei City last night, emphasizing that Taiwan is a country as he condemned China’s misinterpretation of UN Resolution 2758. The speech was the first in a series of 10 that Lai is scheduled to give across Taiwan. It is the responsibility of Taiwanese citizens to stand united to defend their national sovereignty, democracy, liberty, way of life and the future of the next generation, Lai said. This is the most important legacy the people of this era could pass on to future generations, he said. Lai went on to discuss
AMENDMENT: Climate change is expected to increase the frequency of high-temperature days, affecting economic productivity and public health, experts said The Central Weather Administration (CWA) is considering amending the Meteorological Act (氣象法) to classify “high temperatures” as “hazardous weather,” providing a legal basis for work or school closures due to extreme heat. CWA Administrator Lu Kuo-chen (呂國臣) yesterday said the agency plans to submit the proposed amendments to the Executive Yuan for review in the fourth quarter this year. The CWA has been monitoring high-temperature trends for an extended period, and the agency contributes scientific data to the recently established High Temperature Response Alliance led by the Ministry of Environment, Lu said. The data include temperature, humidity, radiation intensity and ambient wind,
SECOND SPEECH: All political parties should work together to defend democracy, protect Taiwan and resist the CCP, despite their differences, the president said President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday discussed how pro-Taiwan and pro-Republic of China (ROC) groups can agree to maintain solidarity on the issue of protecting Taiwan and resisting the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The talk, delivered last night at Taoyuan’s Hakka Youth Association, was the second in a series of 10 that Lai is scheduled to give across Taiwan. Citing Taiwanese democracy pioneer Chiang Wei-shui’s (蔣渭水) slogan that solidarity brings strength, Lai said it was a call for political parties to find consensus amid disagreements on behalf of bettering the nation. All political parties should work together to defend democracy, protect Taiwan and resist
RSS