Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now. Yesterday on the show, you would have heard me
read out a message from a concerned territory and wanting
to make us aware of a Darwin family currently stuck
in Israel amongst the war. The Palmerston family had to
flee from Tel Aviv on Saturday to somewhere safer before
heading back to Tel Aviv, as I understand it, yesterday
as they were told that it meant they would be
(00:21):
safer there. They can't get out any earlier. They've got
flights booked back to Darwin, as I understand it, on Wednesday,
which is actually Thursday night, Darwin time. And some of
the stories coming out of Israel right now are absolutely horrible.
Children and babies reportedly being killed. It's not only horrible,
(00:45):
but it's absolutely unimaginable. Now joining me on the line
from Tel Aviv is Asha Lily. Good morning to you.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Asha, Hi Katie, how are you today?
Speaker 1 (00:57):
I think I'm in a much better place than you
right now? Can you tell us exactly where you are?
Speaker 2 (01:04):
So we're currently in Tel Aviv, right, yeah, right now.
We arrived back here yesterday morning.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
And Asha, you're traveling, you're from Palmerston. You're traveling with
your family, and you're obviously in Israel on holidays, is
that correct?
Speaker 2 (01:23):
Yeah, Yeah, we came here to visit my parents' really
close family friend who they've known for just before I
was born. So he's actually Australian but he now lived
in Israel with his wife and their three daughters.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
Asha, when did you first learn of that horrendous attack
that had happened on Sunday and when things were starting
to go badly?
Speaker 2 (01:49):
So we woke up Saturday morning to sirens and we
were then told it's all good, basically because it's not
necessarily an unheard of thing in Israel for Fiens to go.
We then went out for breakfast and as we were
walking back, we heard the Firroens go again and then
(02:11):
actually saw missiles flying overhead and we had to quickly
run and hide. And from then that was kind of
when the news started to kind of come out about
what was actually happening and about what we've actually found
ourselves in the middle of. So yeah, it was pretty terrifying,
to say the least.
Speaker 1 (02:32):
Azure for most of us here in the Northern Territory.
You know, we cannot even imagine what it feels like
right now, can you paint a bit of a picture
for us as to, you know, to where you are
and what it's been like over the last couple of days.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
We're really lucky to have our friends here who have
been so supportive and have kept us safe, but it's
still been absolutely terrifying. We've been having to My sister
and I were sleeping in a bomb shelter and we
actually yesterday afternoon had to go on to lockdown as
(03:12):
the town near us had been invaded basically, and they
were missiles and we could hear open fire happening, which
was just so scary to be that close to anything
like that. It's just something you never expect to find
yourself in. And I just I can't even begin to
(03:38):
describe how scared and just not knowing what every hour
will bring you. You just don't know. One hour could
be quiet and you could feel like it's okay, and
then you know the next hour you're just wondering, am
I even going to make it out of this? So, yeah,
it's been horrible.
Speaker 1 (04:00):
Oh how's your whole family feeling at this point? Because
I would imagine that there's also a lot of uncertainty
in terms of trying to get back. I know you've
got flights booked, but where are things at with those?
Speaker 2 (04:13):
So currently we're looked in on a flight which is leaving,
so I'm sorry, I'm stuck with days tomorrow. Yeah, so
we are just honestly hoping. We kind of can't think
about what would happen if the flight doesn't go because
(04:36):
we just really don't know what we would do. So
I guess we're just trying to stay positive and just
hoping that our flight takes off and we're able to
get out of here.
Speaker 1 (04:48):
Yeah. Look, I think that is the only way that
you can be right now thinking that yep, you are
going to be heading out and heading back to Australia
as was there any capacity for you to be able
to change your flight? So you're flying with Quantus because
there's also been reports that they're charging people in arm
in a lake to be able to get out.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
Yeah, so luckily we're flying with Emirates, but we've heard
from other people that when they went to change their flights,
Quantas were charging through the roof for them to be
able to change it. I've heard that they've since changed that,
but the fact that that even happened in the first
place is just, in my opinion, appalling when most other
(05:31):
airlines were allowing people to just change their flights free
of charbe. So we tried to change our flight, but
most flights only had one seat, and we wanted to
try and stay together if we could, so the earliest
we could go was Wednesday Wednesday night, so we're just
sticking with that.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
And in terms of like getting to the airport and
that kind of thing, is you know, is the passage
for you to be able to get there? Are like
is it all? I mean, I don't even know if
it's a stupid thing to ask, is it safe for
you to be able to get there?
Speaker 2 (06:06):
I mean, we just we had to catch the train
yesterday from the north of It's Row to tell Aviv,
and we just again couldn't even really think about what
we would do if something happened while we're on the train,
or if myselves were around while we were on the train.
It's a little bit like life kind of keeps on
(06:29):
going here in tele Aviv. There's still taxi drivers and
all of that stuff, but it's definitely a bit of
a growth Channe since then, so our hotel has said
that they've got a taxi driver ready for us to go.
We're just gonna go straight from here to the airport
and we're just again going to keep hoping that that
(06:51):
just happens and that it'll all be okay.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
ASUA, has the Australian government been supportive and communicate to you,
what's it been like in terms of trying to get
some support or communication from the Australian government.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
It's been completely lacking. So we called the embassy on
Saturday night and registered our details with them, and since
then we received one email and then we finally received
a phone call about eight hours ago, just telling us
the same things, just to check flights and to keep
(07:30):
checking a smart Traveler website, which I just don't feel
like it's good enough. I don't expect a free flight
back to Australia, I understand, but it's not as easy
as clicking your fingers, but even just an email or
a call asking how we're going, explaining that they're doing
(07:50):
what they can to try and keep us safe. It's
just there's just been no communication. We've had more info
from our travel agents than we have the Australian government,
and I just don't feel like it's good enough. What's
the point of having embassies in these other countries when
they're not even here to actually support us when things
(08:12):
hit the fan?
Speaker 1 (08:14):
Well, there's literally, literally you're in a war zone. And
if you can't get that support from the Australian Embassy
at that point in time, when can you?
Speaker 2 (08:24):
Yeah? Literally, And I was actually stuck in London through
twenty twenty and this is the exact same thing that happened,
So it's not like it's a first time thing. The
embassy just needs to All of the embassies just need
to start doing better and actually support the Australian people. Otherwise,
what's the point of them, what's the point of having
(08:44):
them there?
Speaker 1 (08:45):
I think it's a fair question. I know that the
Federal Opposition right now is calling on the government to
have some repatriation flights coming out of of Israel. Do
you think that that's a good idea?
Speaker 2 (08:58):
Oh, one hundred percent. I just we've met lots of
Ozzies through our weeks of being here, and a lot
of them were older Australians and so I just wonder
how they're getting their information, you know, how they're able
to Some probably don't even have a SIM card, so
I just think that it's necessary. Other countries have been
(09:20):
able to do it within twenty four hours. So it's
nearly day five and we've received email and a phone
call telling us to check Smart Traveler. It's just again
not good enough, and I think the bare minimums to
organized flights even just sit you by, just to at
(09:40):
least get ozzies out of here.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
Asure. I know the Foreign Minister Penny Wong says that
the government's looking at all options to help Australian citizens
leave Israel, but it doesn't sound like you're feeling that
that is the case at the moment.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
Yeah, I know, I'm not feeling good at all. We
haven't even heard anything from Penny Wong the whole time
until I think it was yesterday when I and a
friend say, oh, Penny said that she's helping Australians get out,
and I said, well, that would be really nice for
her to tell us that, because right now we feel
so alone and so isolated, and we have no idea
(10:19):
what to do.
Speaker 1 (10:21):
Oh Asha, I cannot, like I said earlier, I cannot
even imagine how you and your family must be feeling
at this point in time. I bet you just cannot
wait to get back to your home in Palmerston.
Speaker 2 (10:35):
Yeah. I literally have never been so excited to be
back in Pumston, which is a funny thing to say that. Yeah,
I really just I feel lucky that we can even
leave this and that we have a home to go
to in a safe country.
Speaker 1 (10:52):
So yeah, you're so right. I mean, honestly, some of
the stories that are coming out today are just herrin
you know. There are reports of children and babies being killed.
It is. It's just such a terribly frightening and sad situation.
And you're right, you know, you're so lucky to be
(11:14):
from a country like Australia. We all are, and I
just hope that you guys can get home safely and
quickly as soon as possible.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
Thank you so much. Yeah, we are hoping and praying
go to you.
Speaker 1 (11:27):
Yeah, well, Asha, when you get back or please keep
us up to date and we'll do the same. You know,
we will certainly put in a request as well to
the federal government to find out exactly what they are
doing to try to ensure that people like yourself and
your family get home as quickly as possible. So we
will do our best to try and help you from
(11:49):
this side of things, and please keep us up to
date and let us know how things are going from
your side.
Speaker 2 (11:55):
Yeah, I definitely will. Thank you so much. I really
appreciate that, and I know that all of the others,
let us stuck over here, would appreciate it as well.
Speaker 1 (12:03):
Yeah. Asha, thank you so much for your time this morning.
I know it's very early and I know that we've
woken you up, so I really appreciate you speaking with us.
Speaker 2 (12:12):
No, that's fine, Thank you so much. I finally got
to sleep after not sleeping over the past four days.
But that's okay. This was worth thank you.
Speaker 1 (12:21):
Thanks so much, Asha,
Now. Yesterday on the show, you would have heard me
read out a message from a concerned territory and wanting
to make us aware of a Darwin family currently stuck
in Israel amongst the war. The Palmerston family had to
flee from Tel Aviv on Saturday to somewhere safer before
heading back to Tel Aviv, as I understand it, yesterday
as they were told that it meant they would be
(00:21):
safer there. They can't get out any earlier. They've got
flights booked back to Darwin, as I understand it, on Wednesday,
which is actually Thursday night, Darwin time. And some of
the stories coming out of Israel right now are absolutely horrible.
Children and babies reportedly being killed. It's not only horrible,
(00:45):
but it's absolutely unimaginable. Now joining me on the line
from Tel Aviv is Asha Lily. Good morning to you.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Asha, Hi Katie, how are you today?
Speaker 1 (00:57):
I think I'm in a much better place than you
right now? Can you tell us exactly where you are?
Speaker 2 (01:04):
So we're currently in Tel Aviv, right, yeah, right now.
We arrived back here yesterday morning.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
And Asha, you're traveling, you're from Palmerston. You're traveling with
your family, and you're obviously in Israel on holidays, is
that correct?
Speaker 2 (01:23):
Yeah, Yeah, we came here to visit my parents' really
close family friend who they've known for just before I
was born. So he's actually Australian but he now lived
in Israel with his wife and their three daughters.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
Asha, when did you first learn of that horrendous attack
that had happened on Sunday and when things were starting
to go badly?
Speaker 2 (01:49):
So we woke up Saturday morning to sirens and we
were then told it's all good, basically because it's not
necessarily an unheard of thing in Israel for Fiens to go.
We then went out for breakfast and as we were
walking back, we heard the Firroens go again and then
(02:11):
actually saw missiles flying overhead and we had to quickly
run and hide. And from then that was kind of
when the news started to kind of come out about
what was actually happening and about what we've actually found
ourselves in the middle of. So yeah, it was pretty terrifying,
to say the least.
Speaker 1 (02:32):
Azure for most of us here in the Northern Territory.
You know, we cannot even imagine what it feels like
right now, can you paint a bit of a picture
for us as to, you know, to where you are
and what it's been like over the last couple of days.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
We're really lucky to have our friends here who have
been so supportive and have kept us safe, but it's
still been absolutely terrifying. We've been having to My sister
and I were sleeping in a bomb shelter and we
actually yesterday afternoon had to go on to lockdown as
(03:12):
the town near us had been invaded basically, and they
were missiles and we could hear open fire happening, which
was just so scary to be that close to anything
like that. It's just something you never expect to find
yourself in. And I just I can't even begin to
(03:38):
describe how scared and just not knowing what every hour
will bring you. You just don't know. One hour could
be quiet and you could feel like it's okay, and
then you know the next hour you're just wondering, am
I even going to make it out of this? So, yeah,
it's been horrible.
Speaker 1 (04:00):
Oh how's your whole family feeling at this point? Because
I would imagine that there's also a lot of uncertainty
in terms of trying to get back. I know you've
got flights booked, but where are things at with those?
Speaker 2 (04:13):
So currently we're looked in on a flight which is leaving,
so I'm sorry, I'm stuck with days tomorrow. Yeah, so
we are just honestly hoping. We kind of can't think
about what would happen if the flight doesn't go because
(04:36):
we just really don't know what we would do. So
I guess we're just trying to stay positive and just
hoping that our flight takes off and we're able to
get out of here.
Speaker 1 (04:48):
Yeah. Look, I think that is the only way that
you can be right now thinking that yep, you are
going to be heading out and heading back to Australia
as was there any capacity for you to be able
to change your flight? So you're flying with Quantus because
there's also been reports that they're charging people in arm
in a lake to be able to get out.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
Yeah, so luckily we're flying with Emirates, but we've heard
from other people that when they went to change their flights,
Quantas were charging through the roof for them to be
able to change it. I've heard that they've since changed that,
but the fact that that even happened in the first
place is just, in my opinion, appalling when most other
(05:31):
airlines were allowing people to just change their flights free
of charbe. So we tried to change our flight, but
most flights only had one seat, and we wanted to
try and stay together if we could, so the earliest
we could go was Wednesday Wednesday night, so we're just
sticking with that.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
And in terms of like getting to the airport and
that kind of thing, is you know, is the passage
for you to be able to get there? Are like
is it all? I mean, I don't even know if
it's a stupid thing to ask, is it safe for
you to be able to get there?
Speaker 2 (06:06):
I mean, we just we had to catch the train
yesterday from the north of It's Row to tell Aviv,
and we just again couldn't even really think about what
we would do if something happened while we're on the train,
or if myselves were around while we were on the train.
It's a little bit like life kind of keeps on
(06:29):
going here in tele Aviv. There's still taxi drivers and
all of that stuff, but it's definitely a bit of
a growth Channe since then, so our hotel has said
that they've got a taxi driver ready for us to go.
We're just gonna go straight from here to the airport
and we're just again going to keep hoping that that
(06:51):
just happens and that it'll all be okay.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
ASUA, has the Australian government been supportive and communicate to you,
what's it been like in terms of trying to get
some support or communication from the Australian government.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
It's been completely lacking. So we called the embassy on
Saturday night and registered our details with them, and since
then we received one email and then we finally received
a phone call about eight hours ago, just telling us
the same things, just to check flights and to keep
(07:30):
checking a smart Traveler website, which I just don't feel
like it's good enough. I don't expect a free flight
back to Australia, I understand, but it's not as easy
as clicking your fingers, but even just an email or
a call asking how we're going, explaining that they're doing
(07:50):
what they can to try and keep us safe. It's
just there's just been no communication. We've had more info
from our travel agents than we have the Australian government,
and I just don't feel like it's good enough. What's
the point of having embassies in these other countries when
they're not even here to actually support us when things
(08:12):
hit the fan?
Speaker 1 (08:14):
Well, there's literally, literally you're in a war zone. And
if you can't get that support from the Australian Embassy
at that point in time, when can you?
Speaker 2 (08:24):
Yeah? Literally, And I was actually stuck in London through
twenty twenty and this is the exact same thing that happened,
So it's not like it's a first time thing. The
embassy just needs to All of the embassies just need
to start doing better and actually support the Australian people. Otherwise,
what's the point of them, what's the point of having
(08:44):
them there?
Speaker 1 (08:45):
I think it's a fair question. I know that the
Federal Opposition right now is calling on the government to
have some repatriation flights coming out of of Israel. Do
you think that that's a good idea?
Speaker 2 (08:58):
Oh, one hundred percent. I just we've met lots of
Ozzies through our weeks of being here, and a lot
of them were older Australians and so I just wonder
how they're getting their information, you know, how they're able
to Some probably don't even have a SIM card, so
I just think that it's necessary. Other countries have been
(09:20):
able to do it within twenty four hours. So it's
nearly day five and we've received email and a phone
call telling us to check Smart Traveler. It's just again
not good enough, and I think the bare minimums to
organized flights even just sit you by, just to at
(09:40):
least get ozzies out of here.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
Asure. I know the Foreign Minister Penny Wong says that
the government's looking at all options to help Australian citizens
leave Israel, but it doesn't sound like you're feeling that
that is the case at the moment.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
Yeah, I know, I'm not feeling good at all. We
haven't even heard anything from Penny Wong the whole time
until I think it was yesterday when I and a
friend say, oh, Penny said that she's helping Australians get out,
and I said, well, that would be really nice for
her to tell us that, because right now we feel
so alone and so isolated, and we have no idea
(10:19):
what to do.
Speaker 1 (10:21):
Oh Asha, I cannot, like I said earlier, I cannot
even imagine how you and your family must be feeling
at this point in time. I bet you just cannot
wait to get back to your home in Palmerston.
Speaker 2 (10:35):
Yeah. I literally have never been so excited to be
back in Pumston, which is a funny thing to say that. Yeah,
I really just I feel lucky that we can even
leave this and that we have a home to go
to in a safe country.
Speaker 1 (10:52):
So yeah, you're so right. I mean, honestly, some of
the stories that are coming out today are just herrin
you know. There are reports of children and babies being killed.
It is. It's just such a terribly frightening and sad situation.
And you're right, you know, you're so lucky to be
(11:14):
from a country like Australia. We all are, and I
just hope that you guys can get home safely and
quickly as soon as possible.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
Thank you so much. Yeah, we are hoping and praying
go to you.
Speaker 1 (11:27):
Yeah, well, Asha, when you get back or please keep
us up to date and we'll do the same. You know,
we will certainly put in a request as well to
the federal government to find out exactly what they are
doing to try to ensure that people like yourself and
your family get home as quickly as possible. So we
will do our best to try and help you from
(11:49):
this side of things, and please keep us up to
date and let us know how things are going from
your side.
Speaker 2 (11:55):
Yeah, I definitely will. Thank you so much. I really
appreciate that, and I know that all of the others,
let us stuck over here, would appreciate it as well.
Speaker 1 (12:03):
Yeah. Asha, thank you so much for your time this morning.
I know it's very early and I know that we've
woken you up, so I really appreciate you speaking with us.
Speaker 2 (12:12):
No, that's fine, Thank you so much. I finally got
to sleep after not sleeping over the past four days.
But that's okay. This was worth thank you.
Speaker 1 (12:21):
Thanks so much, Asha,
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