Mon 19 October 2020:
The first regular commercial aeroplane from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) landed in Israel after flying from Abu Dhabi to Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion International Airport.
The normalisation of relations between the Emirates and Israel is progressing rapidly after the historic Abraham Accords, sponsored by the United States government of Donald Trump, were ratified.
Both countries agreed that up to 28 direct flights per week will be allowed and on Tuesday an official Emirate delegation is expected to arrive in Israel to continue agreeing on the next steps.
The Etihad Airways plane carrying 58 passengers, including business people, tourism professionals and journalists, landed at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport.
The plane, which was welcomed with a ceremony at the airport, left back for Abu Dhabi later in the day.
Israel and the UAE are expected to sign an agreement on Tuesday to operate 28 weekly commercial flights between Tel Aviv and Abu Dhabi.
An Etihad Airways plane flew above Israeli skies for the first time last week, according to the Israeli Defense Ministry.
The two countries are expected to launch a direct commercial aviation line at the beginning of 2021, according to Israeli media.
The first Emirati ship loaded with goods, including iron, firefighting, cleaning and electronic equipment, arrived at Israel’s Haifa Port on Oct. 12.
Bahrain, UAE and Israel agreed to establish full diplomatic, cultural, and commercial relations following the signing of controversial normalization agreements on Sept. 15 at the White House.
Last week, the UAE’s Etihad Airways launched a Hebrew-language website, with high hopes for burgeoning tourism and business trade. The message, “Welcome from Abu Dhabi,” greets users as they enter the website, with different sections on safety protocols and other destinations offered by the airline also appearing in Hebrew.
