Jerusalem residents are ‘optimistic’ about direct flights to Saudi Arabia

As a further step towards normalcy, Israel is optimistic that it would be able to set up direct flights from Israel to Saudi Arabia for the Haj, the yearly pilgrimage to Mecca, this year.

A diplomatic source expressed hope about the ongoing negotiations on Monday.

The comments were made following days of consistent rumors of a breakthrough in negotiations before the pilgrimage, which is scheduled to take place from June 26 to July 1 this year.

According to Maariv, only Israeli Muslims would be permitted on the flights out of Ben-Gurion and Ramon Airports. 4,500 Israelis are anticipated to travel to Mecca this year, up from 2,700 last year. Most previously traveled via Jordan.

FM Cohen claims that normalization with Saudi Arabia is imminent.

According to Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, normalization with Saudi Arabia is "not a matter of if, but when," he told The Jerusalem Post last week. Saudi Arabia and we have similar interests.

During their visit to Jeddah this month, White House Middle East and North Africa Coordinator Brett McGurk and Special Presidential Coordinator for Global Infrastructure and Energy Security Amos Hochstein discussed peace with Israel with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), according to Cohen.

Although senior Saudi officials have often stated publicly that progress between Israel and the Palestinians must be made for Riyadh to take that step, the foreign minister told N12 on Saturday night that normalization with Saudi Arabia may happen in the next six to a year.

In Jeddah last week, MBS stated that "the Palestinian issue was and remains the central issue for Arab countries, and it is at the top of the kingdom's priorities."

He declared, "We won't wait to help the Palestinian people recover their lands, restore their legitimate rights, and establish an independent state on the 1967 borders with east Jerusalem as its capital."

Since 2018, Israel has sought direct flights to Jeddah for the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca. During US President Joe Biden's July visit to Saudi Arabia, Israel launched a strong diplomatic push. At the time, Riyadh permitted Israeli commercial flights, but not the new ones.

According to Biden, he supports "related steps under discussion to include direct flights on authorized carriers from Israel to Jeddah for the Haj next year."

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