Shanghai, Oct. 10 (CNA) A Taiwanese backpacker who is currently in Israel has been observing first hand the nation’s response to its ongoing national crisis, telling CNA early Tuesday that in the face of the looming threat from China, Taiwan should learn from Israel’s national unity and response alertness.
Speaking to CNA at 2 a.m. Tuesday, 37-year-old Taiwanese national Chen Wei-en (陳偉恩) detailed his experience at being caught in the middle of the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.
Chen said after arriving in the Israeli city of Haifa on Oct. 7 as a backpacker, he observed no signs of the impending crisis.
However, Chen said he was made aware by locals later the same day that air raid sirens had sounded, imploring everyone in Israel to take cover.
Chen said he did not pay the warning any attention and continued with his itinerary, oblivious to the events taking place in the south of the country. It was not until he reached Tel Aviv that he learned what had happened.
“There was no one on the streets except for deliverymen,” Chen said. “All of the shops were closed.”
Chen likened the state of Tel Aviv to that of a full lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic, saying that even the city’s bar district was so empty it felt eerie, a mood only deepened by the sound of helicopters flying overhead.
With the country in a state of conflict, Chen and a friend tried to get out of Israel.
The Taiwanese backpacker said while planning to leave Israel, they unsuccessfully sought help from Taiwan’s mission in Tel Aviv, which led them to head for the airport and try their luck at getting an early flight out of Israel.
Chen described the scene at the airport as being like a Hollywood disaster movie with people scrambling to try get out of the country, adding that budget airlines increased ticket prices so they cost NT$50,000 (US$1,555) to NT$120,000 to get to Taiwan.
Currently, Chen is hoping to be able to leave Israel by Oct. 11 while his friend was lucky enough to have left already.
On his experience during the crisis, Chen said Israel’s national response and disaster preparedness is something Taiwan can learn from in the face of constant provocations from China.
Chen said on the first day of the attack by the Palestinian militant group Hamas, the government of Israel implored all able citizens to donate blood.
The call was met with an overwhelming response from Israeli nationals, a sight which surprised the Taiwanese backpacker.
In addition, Chen observed airport and hotel personnel calmly directing people to shelters when missile warnings sounded.
Shelters which double as public infrastructures are in abundance in Israel and there was no interruption in resource allocation.
Chen said he was most impressed by Israel’s unity and their unanimous understanding that all able adults are part of the nation’s military.