The Globe and Mail reports in its Thursday edition that the federal government will begin airlifting Canadian citizens out of Israel in a day or two, with officials saying the first flights could begin Thursday evening or as late as Friday. A triple-bylined item led by Steven Chase says that some Canadians have been frustrated by a lack of answers from Ottawa in recent days and have taken matters into their own hands by chartering private flights to safety. Although there are commercial flights operating out of Israel, many airlines, including Air Canada, have suspended flights to and from the Mideast country, and some others have been delayed, cancelled or sold out. About 35,000 Canadians live in Israel on a permanent basis, but many have remained there throughout past conflicts. Over 4,200 Canadian citizens and permanent residents had registered their presence in Israel with the Department of Global Affairs. Ottawa's evacuation efforts will see Canadian Armed Forces aircraft shuttle Canadians, permanent residents and their children and spouses from Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport to Athens. From there, federal officials have arranged for Air Canada aircraft to take passengers back to Canada at their own expense.