RAMALLAH: The Palestinian national carrier, grounded since 2005, has resumed operations with flights between Egypt’s El-Arish and Amman, its director general said on Thursday.

“We started yesterday from Amman to El-Arish and from El-Arish to Amman,” Palestinian Airlines director general Zeyad Albad said.

“We are going to have flights from El-Arish to Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) soon too, and we are trying to set up some new routes to Turkey and the (United Arab) Emirates,” he said.

Albad said the resumption of flights was intended to make life easier for Palestinians travelling from Gaza through the Rafah border crossing into Egypt.

El-Arish, in northern Sinai, lies around 50kms from the Rafah crossing.

“It’s designed to help people who are coming out of Gaza to other places.

Before now they had to go 400, 500kms to the nearest airport,” Albad said.

“It’s very difficult for them, especially for those with families and in the summer, so we are trying to relieve the pressure on them.” Albad said the resumption was also good for Palestinian Airlines, which has seen its four-plane fleet grounded since 2005.—AFP