Air India flight flies over Saudi airspace to Israel: ModiDiplomacy made impossible possible

Jerusalem, March 23: All hails to MoDiplomacy! Air India flight AI 139 from New Delhi to Tel Aviv landed at Ben Gurion Airport today making India Israel come closer. This opens up a new chapter in the India-Israel friendship and also ending a decades-old overfly ban by Saudi Arabia. Meantime India- Saudi relations are also positively evolving. 

“This is really a historical moment. We are in a new era. I am sure that we will see many more Indian tourists coming to Israel…and Israelis would also come to India in much higher numbers,” Israeli Tourism Minister Yariv Levin said.

 

Further he said that such a direct link would strengthen the relationship between the two nations. Saudi Arabia’s decision to permit Air India to use its airspace has enabled the airline to take a shorter route. It will cover the distance in 7.15 hours, 2.10 hours less than the time taken by the only other airline that flies between the two countries — Israel’s national carrier El Al.

Speaking over Saudi Arabia allowing Air India to use its airspace, Levin said “We have to be very cautious. This is really a first step — a very important one… I hope with times we have more and more normal relation with our neighbour in this region….India played a very important bridge not only between India and us but also between Israel and other countries in this region.”

Terming as “historic” the moment on arrival of the national carrier’s maiden flight to Tel Aviv, Indian Ambassador to Israel Pavan Kapoor said a lot of efforts had gone into it over the last two years with a strong vision and support for the initiative from the prime ministers of both the countries.

He said the initiative would strengthen the relationship between the two countries in various spheres, including political, trade and cultural. Air India Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) Pradeep Kharola said the Air India direct flight has the shortest route connecting New Delhi and Tel Aviv and will bring people of the two countries closer.

The new service was first announced by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi last July, with PM Netanyahu then suggesting in January the route could pass over Saudi Arabia.

After Air India inked a MoU to fly to Israel over Saudi Arabia; Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Saudi Arabia has given permission to an airline flying through to Tel Aviv to use its airspace.

This MoU stands as most significant as Saudi Arabia does not recognize Israel and has banned any flights to the country from using its airspace for more than 70 years. PM Netanyahu informed that Saudi Arabia has given Air India approval to fly through its airspace on flights between Israel and India.