Israel discusses possible direct Hajj flights to Saudi Arabia

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By Webdesk


Israel’s foreign minister says the request has been made and “the matter is being discussed”.

Israel has expressed hope that authorities in Saudi Arabia will allow direct flights for its Muslim citizens to make the hajj pilgrimage, which takes place next month.

Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said on Wednesday that a request had been made and that “this matter is being discussed”.

“I can’t tell you if there is any progress,” he said in an interview with Israel’s Army Radio, according to Reuters news agency. “But I am optimistic that we can advance peace with Saudi Arabia.”

Millions of Muslims from all over the world travel to Mecca every year for the Hajj, the pilgrimage that follows the deeds of the Prophet Muhammad 1,377 years ago.

Participating in this pilgrimage at least once in one’s lifetime is an obligation for all able-bodied Muslims with financial means, and two million to three million people take part in the six-day ritual each year.

Hajj takes place in the 12th month of the Islamic lunar calendar, called Dhul-Hijjah, between the eighth and thirteenth day of the month.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s predecessor, Yair Lapid, said in March that as prime minister in 2022 he had received Saudi approval for the direct flights. Saudi Arabia has not confirmed this.

Muslims from Israel and Palestine are currently traveling to Saudi Arabia via a third country. Since 2020, Saudi Arabia has allowed Israeli airlines to use its airspace to fly to the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, countries with which it has normalized relations.

Israel and Saudi Arabia have no diplomatic ties, but the two have been making incremental progress since 2020 to normalize them as part of a US-sponsored effort to reconcile Israel with its Gulf neighbors.

Several thorny issues have affected this progress.

Saudi Arabia has insisted that Palestinian goals for statehood be addressed first. The kingdom does not currently recognize Israel as a state.

Meanwhile, the United States and Israel are uncomfortable with Riyadh’s recent thawing of relations with Iran.



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