BEIRUT, Sept 4: A Qatar Airways flight landed at Beirut international airport from Doha on Monday despite a continuing Israeli air and sea blockade of Lebanon. Flight QR 422 arrived in the Lebanese capital shortly before 1230GMT (0530pm PST)with 120 passengers who were greeted by a cheerful crowd that gave them roses as they cleared immigration.

One passenger said that many of those on board, including Lebanese, Palestinian and foreign nationals, had flashed victory signs as the jet landed.

The airline plans to operate the flights daily, a company spokesman said earlier in Doha.

A spokesman for Israel’s foreign ministry, Mark Regev, said the flight would not have been possible without clearance by Israel. The entrance into Lebanon of aircraft and ships necessitates coordination with Israel,” he said.

On Sunday, a company spokeswoman said the flight was aimed at breaking the Israeli blockade on Lebanon.

“We have asked for authorisation from the Lebanese authorities and they have given it. Therefore flight QR 422 is going to go to Beirut,” the spokeswoman said.

Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem bin Jabr al-Thani during a joint press conference with visiting UN chief Kofi Annan on Monday slammed the Israeli blockade and said there was no reason the flight could not proceed.

“No official blockade of Lebanon has been declared by the UN or the international community,” Sheikh Hamad said.

He said the resumption of flights was necessary to help Lebanese.

An Israeli diplomatic source told AFP that the Qatar Airways flight had in fact been cleared by the Jewish state.—AFP