Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has called a special cabinet meeting for Sunday evening to discuss the tensions on the Russia-Ukraine border. He urged all Israelis to leave Ukraine immediately amid fears of an imminent Russian invasion.
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Israeli officials believe the window for evacuating citizens from Ukraine is closing fast and could be shut by Wednesday morning.
Earlier in the day, Bennett held an urgent meeting with top Israeli diplomats and security officials to assess the highly volatile situation on the Ukrainian border, where Russia has amassed troops and artillery.
The meeting, which followed US statements to the effect that Russia's strongman President Vladimir Putin took the final decision to initiate military action, reportedly focused on the scenario whereby Israeli nationals residing in Ukraine would require emergency extraction.
The session included Foreign Minister Yair Lapid and ministry officials, as well as National Security Adviser Eyal Hulata, Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar and other top officials from Israel's intelligence agencies.
Israeli flight carriers El Al, Israir, and Arkia added Israel-bound flights departing from Ukraine on Sunday and Monday, to accommodate those who wish to depart for Israel.
Defense Minister Benny Gantz said Saturday that he has instructed the Israel Defense Forces to prepare for the possibility of helping evacuate Israelis from Ukraine.
Gantz's office said any IDF assistance would "depend on the scenarios and assessments of the situation."
On Friday, the Foreign Ministry issued a travel warning for Ukraine and said it was evacuating relatives of staff at its embassy in Kyiv, citing "an aggravation of the situation."
The statement further urged Israelis to avoid traveling to Ukraine and those there to "avoid areas of tension."
Israel's Ambassador to Ukraine Michael Brodsky referred in a radio interview on Reshet Bet to the tensions between Russia and Ukraine.
"The families of the Israeli diplomats are due to evacuate [Sunday] morning. We have prepared for this and they are all ready to leave. There are close to 20 people. Everyone will arrive in Israel today," said the ambassador. "We will be very organized to leave the country. We estimate that there are about ten thousand Israelis here. I hope that everyone will listen to our recommendation and in a very short period of time will leave the country. We, the envoys, remain here to help in any eventuality."
The Jewish Agency said Saturday it will evacuate some of its staff and their families on Sunday. The agency's senior emissaries will reportedly remain in Ukraine "and will continue serving the Jewish communities in the region," it said in a statement.
Acting Chairman of The Jewish Agency Yaakov Hagoel said, "We are prepared to address this dynamic situation. The Jewish Agency will continue serving the Jewish communities in Ukraine and provide solutions within our areas of activity as the situation demands."
The Foreign Ministry estimated that some 10,000 to 15,000 Israelis are currently on Ukrainian soil, including some 4,500 who registered with the Israeli Embassy in Kyiv.
Months of simmering tensions that saw Russia nearly surround its western neighbor with over 100,000 troops intensified after Washington warned that an all-out invasion could begin "any day" and Russia launched its biggest naval drills in years across the Black Sea.
Us President Joe Biden warned Putin in a 62-minute phone call on Saturday that the United States "will respond decisively and impose swift and severe costs on Russia" should it invade Ukraine.
According to a readout from the White House, Biden stressed that "while the United States remains prepared to engage in diplomacy, in full coordination with our allies and partners, we are equally prepared for other scenarios."
A senior US official said the call brought no major change in the standoff.
The Kremlin denounced Washington's "peak hysteria" surrounding the conflict after the call but said Biden and Putin had agreed to continue the dialogue.
In a sign that American officials are getting ready for a worst-case scenario, the United States announced plans to evacuate most of its staff from the embassy in the Ukrainian capital. Britain joined other European nations in urging its citizens to leave Ukraine.
Canada has shuttered its embassy in Kyiv and relocated its diplomatic staff to a temporary office in Lviv, located in the western part of the country, Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly said Saturday. Lviv is home to a Ukrainian military base that has served as the main hub for Canada's 200-soldier training mission in the former Soviet country.
Meanwhile, Chief Rabbi of Kyiv Jonathan Benyamin Markovitch told Israel Hayom that the local Jewish community was gearing up for "significant fighting."
"The public is preparing for war, each in their own way. Those who can leave Ukraine do, but on the other hand, the president and security officials are making it clear that there is no need to panic," he said.
In recent days, the Jewish community has placed 120 giant outdoor screens across the city featuring public service announcements, messages from Markovitch, and quotes by the Lubavitcher Rebbe to inspire calm.
"I actively try to keep everyone calm," he said. "Intelligence officers here themselves do not have the whole picture, but they regularly update the Jewish community."
He further noted that the Kyiv Municipality has set up a crisis and call-up center and is training residents. "This is a welcome edition because it helps allay people's fears," he noted.
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The Jewish community has been storing food in case of a wartime shortage, he added.
"In Judaism, we never want war but we do prepare for it. We hope and pray everything will be fine but we cannot be unprepared." Markovitch noted that several tons of food have already been purchased by the community.
