Dubai, Tel Aviv Resume Flights After Agreeing on Security Arrangements

Emirates airliners are seen on the tarmac in a general view of Dubai International Airport (file photo: Reuters)
Emirates airliners are seen on the tarmac in a general view of Dubai International Airport (file photo: Reuters)
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Dubai, Tel Aviv Resume Flights After Agreeing on Security Arrangements

Emirates airliners are seen on the tarmac in a general view of Dubai International Airport (file photo: Reuters)
Emirates airliners are seen on the tarmac in a general view of Dubai International Airport (file photo: Reuters)

The Israeli security agency, the Shin Bet, announced an agreement between Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv on the security arrangement to allow Israeli airlines to resume a full schedule of flights to Dubai.

Non-stop flights will resume on Sunday, with about 12 daily trips between Tel Aviv and Dubai.

Last week, the head of Shin Bet, Ronen Bar, met with his Emirati counterparts and reached preliminary understandings on the matter.

The head of the Shin Bet security division held meetings in Dubai, during which the agreement on shared working principles and security arrangements was completed.

A dispute over airport security erupted about a year ago when the two Israeli airlines, El Al and IsrAir, requested a particular terminal at Dubai Airport for travelers to Tel Aviv, run by Israeli security men.

Dubai rejected the request, saying it is a violation of Emirati sovereignty and harms the work of the airport. It also indicated that it is unwilling to dedicate a terminal for the Israelis because of the millions of passengers at its airport.

Authorities also noted that dozens of airlines fly from Dubai to Tel Aviv without this arrangement, indicating the Israeli request is not logical.

In response, Israeli companies reduced their number of flights to Dubai, and about 50,000 Israeli citizens who bought tickets could not travel.

However, Emirati, Turkish, and European planes continued to fly from Dubai to Israel, incurring Israeli airlines significant losses.

Several advisers of Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Foreign Ministry and Shin Bet officials contacted their counterparts in Dubai to resolve the crisis in recent weeks.

Israel’s Transport Minister Merav Michaeli held talks with international bodies to solve the crisis.

Michaeli claimed a misunderstanding in the communications between the two sides due to the many channels that caused the issue and explained to Bennett that the Emiratis wanted to work with one senior Israeli official authorized to address the matter.

Bennett assigned the head of the Shin Bet and his assistants to take charge, and talks with the Emiratis have been intensively conducted since last February.

Although the two parties did not disclose the details of the agreement and the nature of the security arrangements, they confirmed that the flights would resume Sunday.



GCC Secretary-General Meets with Chinese Ambassador to Saudi Arabia

Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi - File Photo
Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi - File Photo
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GCC Secretary-General Meets with Chinese Ambassador to Saudi Arabia

Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi - File Photo
Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi - File Photo

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary-General Jasem Albudaiwi met on Tuesday with Chinese Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Chang Hua.
During the meeting, they discussed several topics related to enhancing relations between the two sides, including the latest developments in the negotiations for a free trade agreement between the GCC and China, SPA reported.
They also reviewed progress on the joint action plan between the GCC and China for the 2023–2027 period, as well as exchanged views on the latest regional and international developments.