Israel Launches Its First Flight to UAE Via Saudi Airspace

Tel Aviv, MINA – Israel’s first commercial flight to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) took off from Ben Gurion airport on Monday via Saudi airspace.

The El Al flight was carrying an Israeli delegation led by national security adviser Meir Ben-Shabat and the US diplomats led by Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and special adviser. Thus quoted from Anadolu Agency (AA).

Kushner described his experience as a historic flight witnessed by everyone in the Arab and Islamic world.

“This is a time of hope and I believe that so much peace and prosperity is possible in this region and around the world,” Kushner said in a statement cited by the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation.

According to the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israel-Emirati-US meeting will be held in Abu Dhabi.

The flight shocked the Palestinians, who Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh said was hurt by seeing an Israeli plane land at an Emirati airport.

On August 13, the UAE and Israel announced a US-brokered agreement to normalize their relationship, including opening embassies in their respective territories.

A number of groups, including the Palestinian Authority, have criticized the UAE-Israel deal, saying it does not serve Palestinian interests and neglects the rights of Palestinians.

The Palestinian Authority says that any normalization with Israel must be based on the Arab Peace Initiative of 2002 with the principle of “land for peace” and not “peace for peace” as Israel calls it. (T/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)