TEL AVIV (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 17th July, 2022) Israeli Minister of Regional Cooperation Esawi Frej hopes that flights for Muslim pilgrims from Israel to Mecca will be launched as early as next year.
"I believe that in a year, an Israeli Muslim citizen will be able to fly from Ben Gurion Airport (in Tel Aviv) to Jeddah, and from there to Mecca, to fulfill his pilgrimage duty," Frej said on KAN tv on Saturday.
On Friday, Saudi Arabia pledged to open Saudi airspace to all flights, including to those from Israel, despite the absence of diplomatic ties between the two countries. Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid welcomed Saudi Arabia's decision on Friday.
Israel's regional cooperation minister told KAN TV that the opening of Saudi airspace is the country's first step in normalizing relations with Israel.
Saudi Arabia made the decision amid US President Joe Biden's middle East tour, which ended on Saturday with his participation in the Gulf Cooperation Council summit, held in the Red Sea port city of Jeddah. On Friday, Biden departed Israel on a historic direct flight to Jeddah, where he met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud.
