Saudis okay Israel-UAE flights over territory; Netanyahu hails ‘breakthrough’

2 September 2020, 1:55 pm

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Saudi Arabia will allow flights between Israel and the United Arab Emirates to pass over its territory when the two countries open their skies to each other in the near future, Riyadh says.

The official Saudi press agency says Saudi Arabia will allow passage in its airspace to flights to and from the UAE “to all countries.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hails the decision. “Another huge breakthrough,” he says. “This will lower flight prices, shorten [flight] time and open up massive tourism. It’ll open up our economy.”

An Etihad airlines cargo plane at Ben-Gurion airport on June 9, 2020. (Moni Shiffer/Israel Airports Authority)

“It’ll do something more,” he says. “It’ll open up the [far] east. When you fly to Thailand or anywhere else in Asia it’ll shave off hours and rates.”