As first reported in Israel Hayom, Israeli airline Arkia has begun operating direct flights from Ramon Airport near Eilat to Cyprus that are open to Palestinian travelers, who may not travel through Ben-Gurion International Airport.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
Plans to operate direct flights from Eilat to Turkey have been shelved until September, but there is a possibility that Israel might begin flights to Turkey, Dubai, and Sharm e-Sheikh for Palestinian passengers.
Amir Aasi, strategic consultant to Arkia Airlines and the person behind the initiative, told Israel Hayom that "This is a pilot in which about 40 residents of Judea and Samaria and the Palestinian cities Bethlehem and Hebron will take part. At this stage, 40 vacationers will leave on chartered buses from Palestinian cities, which will take them to the Israeli border, where they will undergo a security check. They will get on an Israeli bus that will take them on the two-and-a-half-hour journey to Ramon Airport."
Based on the information released thus far, the Palestinians who undergo Israeli security checks at the border will undergo the same checks that all passengers are subject to when they arrive at the airport.
Israel Hayom has learned that from the moment the initiative was announced, there was high demand for tickets among the Palestinian public, but Palestinian Authority officials reached out to potential travelers and tried to deter them from participating in the Ramon Airport trial.
Aasi said he has also been contacted from individuals in the Gaza Strip who wanted to take part in the pilot program.
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
