First Official EgyptAir Flight Lands in Tel Aviv

EgyptAir greeted with the traditional water sprays shot in the air in celebration of its first flight
EgyptAir greeted with the traditional water sprays shot in the air in celebration of its first flight
TT

First Official EgyptAir Flight Lands in Tel Aviv

EgyptAir greeted with the traditional water sprays shot in the air in celebration of its first flight
EgyptAir greeted with the traditional water sprays shot in the air in celebration of its first flight

EgyptAir made its first official direct flight to Israel and landed at Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport.

The Israeli Embassy in Cairo tweeted that direct flights are "an important and welcome sign of strengthening bilateral ties between the two countries, especially economic relations."

It welcomed the resumption of flights after a long suspension due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Sunday's flight was greeted with the traditional water sprays shot in the air in celebration. The Israeli embassy published photos of the arrival on its social media accounts.

Since Israel and Egypt signed a peace deal in 1979, flights between the two countries have been offered by a subsidiary of Egyptair, Air Sinai, created exclusively for that purpose in 1982.

Egyptair will now run four flights per week into Israel under its banner, Israeli Airport Authority (IAA) spokesman Ofer Lefler told AFP.

He called Sunday's landing "a historic first."

The move comes after Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett visited Egypt last month for talks with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.

Thousands of Israeli tourists typically visit Egypt annually, including the Sinai desert and the Red Sea resorts.

Last month, Israeli media reported that the state-owned EgyptAir would start operating direct flights between Cairo and Tel Aviv, starting in early October.

Israeli Transport Minister Merav Michaeli announced her government lifted a daily cap of 1,200 Israelis allowed to pass through its Taba border crossing to Egypt's Sinai Peninsula.

"We have managed to find a way to both allow unlimited crossings and also observe coronavirus regulations,” The Times of Israel quoted the minister as saying.



Iran Foreign Minister Araqchi Arrives in Syrian Capital Damascus

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi looks on as he meets with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, in Beirut, Lebanon, October 4, 2024. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi looks on as he meets with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, in Beirut, Lebanon, October 4, 2024. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir
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Iran Foreign Minister Araqchi Arrives in Syrian Capital Damascus

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi looks on as he meets with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, in Beirut, Lebanon, October 4, 2024. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi looks on as he meets with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, in Beirut, Lebanon, October 4, 2024. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi arrived in Damascus coming from Lebanon to discuss regional developments and bilateral relations with Syrian officials, the Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson said on Saturday.
In Lebanon, Araqchi held meetings Friday with the country’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati and speaker of parliament Nabih Berri, who is a close ally of Iran-backed Hezbollah.