Netanyahu announces Israel preparing for direct flights to UAE via Saudi Arabia

On August 16, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a state televised address that Israel was preparing to commence direct flights to and from the United Arab Emirates as part of its normalization deal with the UAE. At a briefing from Tel Aviv’s Ben-Gurion airport, Netanyahu said that the plans to resume the flights with the Gulf country, however, might be delayed due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.  

In a live-streamed address, Israel PM said that his government was working on enabling direct flights between Tel Aviv and Dubai, and Abu Dhabi over Saudi Arabia. Further, he estimated that the flight will reach the Gulf Nation in about 3 hours, comparing the journey with Rome. Netanyahu said that he saw “tremendous scope” for bilateral tourism and gigantic scope for investment with the UAE. While UAE is the first-ever Arab country and the third Gulf nation after Egypt and Jordan to recognize relations with Israel, for many years, the Gulf region’s airspace remained shut to its then-rival country. 

Read: UAE Minister Calls Israel Deal 'sovereign Decision', Says Not Directed To Iran

Read: Israel, UAE Strengthen Diplomatic Ties With First Strategic Commercial Agreement

Israel resumed telephone lines with UAE

A delegation from Israel would travel to the UAE to draft plans for the reopening of the commercial air route. The development comes merely after two weeks of normalised relations between the two nations, administered by US President Donald Trump. According to a state media report, Israel also resumed telephone lines with the UAE as it inaugurated the event with the first-ever conversation between the foreign ministers of the two countries on the telephone. Additionally, in the press conference, Netanyahu said that he expected "additional countries" to normalise their bilateral relations with Israel. In view of the recent peace agreement, Israel reportedly halted the proposed annexation of the West Bank’s Jordan Valley, the idea fostered by the Israeli politicians since its occupation in 1967. 

[ Netanyahu at Ben Gurion Airport, prior to the opening of the airport. Credit: Twitter/ @Netanyahu]

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