Full press release:
PM Netanyahu's Remarks Following the Tour of BGI Airport with Transportation Minister Miri Regev
(Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser)
Prime Minister Netanyahu, today (Monday, 17 August 2020), following the tour of Ben-Gurion International Airport with Transportation Minister Miri Regev:
“I have just had a quick tour of the airport ahead of the opening of flights – security procedures and health procedures. Of course, this is an experimental pilot and is related to morbidity.
At the same time, I would like to inform you that we are now working on allowing direct flights between Tel Aviv and Dubai and Abu Dhabi, over Saudi Arabia. It is a very short flight, around three hours, like a flight to Rome but it will change Israeli air travel and the Israeli economy with a great wave of tourism in both directions, with investments of great magnitude.
The Emiratis are very interested in massive investments in Israel in technology, in importing inexpensive products. There is a free trade zone there, one of the largest and most efficient in the world. This will be very beneficial to the Israeli consumer. Simply put, it is an injection of energy in the Israeli economy that will benefit each citizen.
I estimate that we will reach an agreement that will genuinely allow direct flights between Tel Aviv and Dubai. This will open the entire Israeli tourism and air travel market, and also investments, on a magnitude the likes of which we have not seen.
There are also blessings in the time of corona. We will continue to work for the citizens of Israel and businesses in Israel.”
In response to journalists’ questions, Prime Minister Netanyahu said:
“ We are working with maximum energy and we have already begun to work on opening an air route over Saudi Arabia, which will simply shorten flights between Israel and the UAE, and will, in effect, open up the east and all of the connecting routes for Israeli air travel, it is a major revolution. This is a revolution for tourism to and from Israel, and it changes everything. To the best of my knowledge, Israir has already submitted an official request.”
