Israel asks Saudi Arabia to let Makkah pilgrims fly direct from Tel Aviv

Published July 7, 2022
A Saudi man checks the flight timings at the King Khalid International Airport, after Saudi authorities lifted the travel ban on its citizens after fourteen months due to Covid-19 restrictions, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 16, 2021. — Reuters/File
A Saudi man checks the flight timings at the King Khalid International Airport, after Saudi authorities lifted the travel ban on its citizens after fourteen months due to Covid-19 restrictions, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 16, 2021. — Reuters/File

Israel’s regional cooperation minister said on Thursday that he had asked Saudi Arabia to admit direct flights from Tel Aviv for Muslim pilgrims, pointing to a possible new accommodation by Riyadh ahead of next week’s visit by US President Joe Biden.

Israeli officials have also been seeking expanded permission for their airlines to fly over Saudi soil to Asian destinations.

Saudi Arabia does not recognise Israel and has said nothing of possible bilateral developments during Biden’s visit. Israel has also shied from drawing such links.

But a person in Washington who was familiar with the matter said the new aviation deals sought by Israel could be announced around the time of Biden’s visit, but that details still needed to be worked out and may not be completed in time.

Regional Cooperation Minister Esawi Freij said Israel has been working to bring what he deemed as “under the counter” contacts between the countries — based mostly on commercial interests and shared worries about Iran — more into the open.

“I want to see the day when I can depart from Ben-Gurion (airport near Tel Aviv) to Jeddah to fulfil my religious obligation” of pilgrimage to Makkah, said Freij, a member of Israel’s 18 per cent Muslim minority.

“I took this matter up with Saudi Arabia and I really hope that day will come,” he told Israel’s Army Radio, without expanding on where or when such discussions took place.

Saudi Arabia has long admitted Muslim pilgrims from Israel, but they must travel through third countries. That ends up costing around $11,500 for a week-long stay, Freij said. Pilgrims from neighbouring Arab countries pay around half that.

When the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain established relations with Israel in 2020, Riyadh signalled its assent by providing a Saudi air corridor for Israeli planes headed to those Gulf states.

“We are in talks on getting general [Saudi] over-flight rights for destinations other than Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Manama. This will save significant time for reaching Asian destinations, for example,” an Israeli official told Reuters.

Opinion

Editorial

SCO summit
Updated 14 Oct, 2024

SCO summit

All quarters, including political parties, must ensure that no hurdles are placed in the way of the SCO summit.
Not the answer
14 Oct, 2024

Not the answer

THE recent report from Justice Project Pakistan shows how urgently Pakistan needs to rethink its use of the death...
Foul killing
14 Oct, 2024

Foul killing

THE chasm between the powerful and the vulnerable, coupled with radicalisation within law enforcement, has turned...
A close watch
Updated 13 Oct, 2024

A close watch

Authorities will have to prove every six months that they are pursuing the IMF-mandated targets to secure the lender’s dollars and blessings.
Push and pull
13 Oct, 2024

Push and pull

MUCH remains at stake, but it is nonetheless reassuring that our politicians have returned to more parliamentary...
Rising rape
13 Oct, 2024

Rising rape

MISOGYNY is the bane of women’s lives across the globe as it robs them of autonomy over their bodies. This is...