Senior Israeli defense officials are working vis-à-vis Qatar to establish direct flights to the Gulf country during the 2022 FIFA World Cup to help the 15,000 Israelis expected to attend the tournament reach their destination without layovers, Israel Hayom has learned.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
A direct flight from Israel to Qatar would take approximately three hours, but given that Jerusalem and Doha do not have official diplomatic ties, Israelis wishing to visit the country have to do so via layovers, which could extend the trip to 7-10 hours depending on the wait time for the connecting flight.
Officials said the move would not only make it easier for Israelis to reach Qatar, which will host the World Cup from 21 November to 18 December 202 but would also strengthen ties between the two nations.
The matter is expected to be presented to the Qatari leadership in the coming days. The hope is that Qatar, which has often refused to cooperate with Israel and rejected attempts for normalization, will be open to such a partnership in order to boost its tourism during the World Cup.
Qatar has already allowed the entry of Israelis for the tournament, although it usually only allows in Israelis with foreign passports. It is yet unclear whether they will be required to get a visa.
In April, the National Security Council convened to discuss the possible dangers for Israelis in Qatar, especially since Iranian officials are expected to attend the event and there is concern that attacks might be plotted against any Israelis present.
On its website, the council is running a warning against unnecessary travel to Qatar: "In light of the public hostility toward Israel in Qatar and the presence there of terrorist actors, Israeli citizens who travel/visit Qatar are at risk."
Nevertheless, Mossad and Shin Bet security agency officials said they are working vis-à-vis Qatari counterparts to ensure the safety of Israelis traveling to Qatar, and insisted that the Gulf country was safe to visit.
They also said the Shin Bet would have no problem providing security for the Israel-Qatar flights – if approved – as it already does so for flights to the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco where the potential risk of danger to Israelis is no different than Qatar.
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
