The Jerusalem Post is reporting that Israel and Saudi Arabia have come to terms on a deal that will allow Israeli airlines to fly in Saudi Arabian airspace to anywhere in the world.
Currently, that’s only allowed for flights to Bahrain and the UAE.
In exchange, Israel will allow two islands in the Straits of Tiran to be transferred from Egypt to Saudi Arabia and the multinational force that is currently there to be stationed in Egypt.
No word if there’s also a player to be named later in this 3 way trade. 😉
President Biden is expected to announce the deal on a trip to the Middle East later this month.
Israeli media has gotten this wrong before and the Jerusalem Post does post fake news on occasion, but if this deal pans out it’s a game changer for El Al and other Israeli airlines. It will allow them to compete on routes that are not currently feasible or are too costly to operate due to airspace restrictions. It will also shave travel time off of travel to some existing destinations.
For example, this is how El Al currently has to fly in order to avoid Saudi airspace when flying to Bangkok, adding significant travel time:
El Al network planners, start your engines!
HT: yandmk
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9 Comments On "Saudi Arabia Will Reportedly Allow All Israeli Flights To Overfly Their Airspace"
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Why is Biden the one to announce this?
That’s what will make it a 4 way trade…
He gives respect and visits MBS, gets to announce this and help his poll numbers, maybe Saudi Arabia releases more oil and drops gas prices.
This will do nothing for his poll numbers. He has so many problems at home, SA can’t release enough oil to make the slightest difference.
Anyone know why Saudis Arabia wants those islands and why Israel would care?
Those islands were actually Saudi Arabian territory before they were handed to Egypt decades ago.
Israel pays attention to those islands because they sit at the base of the Gulf of Aqaba, in the Straits of Tiran. In both 1956 and ’67, Egypt closed the passageway between the islands to Israeli shipping, which would’ve significantly reduced Israel’s ability to transport goods over water to the east. In response, especially after the closure in 1967 (due to the ceasefire agreement that ended the Suez Crisis in 1956), the IDF launched a pre-emptive strike on Egypt as Egypt committed the Casus Belli. Part of the peace treaty between Israel and Egypt ensures that the islands would not be used in this way again.
Now that Sisi is giving back the islands to Saudi Arabia, and because Saudi Arabia doesn’t currently recognize Israel, it is Israel’s prerogative to ensure the Saudis uphold that provision of the 1979 treaty.
If an LY flight on the way to Bangkok suffers and emergency, will SA currently (prior to any airspace deal) allow the plane to make an emergency landing at any of its airports?
Do they have a choice? Planes coming down.
“In exchange, Israel will allow two islands in the Straits of Tiran to be transferred from Egypt to Saudi Arabia and the multinational force that is currently there to be stationed in Egypt.”
I’m no geopolitical expert, so can someone explain to me why Israel had any say in the first place on a land agreement between Egypt and SA, why Egypt wants to give it up for presumably nothing in return, and why multinational forces were previously not allowed to be stationed in Egypt (when the island were under Egyptian control), but now are able to (when it’s in SA control)
See Harry’s excellent brief historical review above re your first question.
MFO has been stationed on those islands AND in the Sinai Peninsula since Israel withdrew following the Camp David Accords. If this story is accurate, those on the islands would apparently leave for Sinai.