Shin Bet bans Israeli airline flights to Scandinavia
Drastic move stems from dispute with foreign security officials over pre-flight procedures
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleIlan Ben Zion is an AFP reporter and a former news editor at The Times of Israel.
Forget about your summer vacation to Stockholm. The Shin Bet has announced a ban on Israeli airlines flying to Scandinavian countries.
The Shin Bet issued a sweeping ban on all Israeli flights to Scandinavia because of a disagreement with local security authorities over security procedures, Channel 2 reported on Tuesday. The local security forces refused to allow Israeli security officers to conduct pre-flight interrogations of travelers who look suspicious, according to Shin Bet protocol.
The new ban is expected to impact air travel between Israel and Scandinavia severely, especially since 75% of the seats on this summer’s flights have already been sold. It is still unclear what alternatives, if any, will be provided for ticket-holders.
Arkia airlines wrote an urgent letter to Shin Bet chief Yoram Cohen asking him to repeal the decision, which will hurt the company and passengers alike.
The Times of Israel Community.