El Al’s first scheduled flight to United Arab Emirates takes off on Monday
Flight LY971 (a nod to UAE’s international phone prefix of +971) set to leave Ben Gurion Airport bound for Abu Dhabi.
El Al is scheduled to set off on its first publicly advertised flight to the United Arab Emirates.
The flight, which appears to be reserved for dignitaries, is set to leave Ben Gurion Airport on Monday bound for Abu Dhabi, the Associated Press reported. The flight follows the announcement earlier this month that Israel and the UAE will normalise their relations in the framework of a U.S.-brokered deal,
The Israel Airports Authority on Friday listed flight LY971, which is also the UAE’s international phone prefix, +971. The return flight is numbered LY972, which is Israel’s prefix, +972.
U.S. officials have said that the first flight between the two Middle Eastern countries will include several American officials, including Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s senior adviser and son-in-law, National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien, Mideast envoy Avi Berkowitz and envoy for Iran Brian Hook.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier announced that his national security adviser, Meir Ben-Shabbat, will lead Israel’s delegation aboard the flight.
Israeli and UAE teams are negotiating the terms of the ties between the two countries after normalisation, officials from both countries have said.
Keep community journalism free.
Jewish News is free for everyone. No paywall. No barriers. Just trusted journalism for anyone who wants to stay connected to Jewish life in Britain.
If you value that, please support us.
From as little as £5 a month, you can help keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Every day, we report on the issues that matter to our community. We celebrate achievements, support charities, challenge antisemitism and ensure Jewish voices are heard more widely.
From as little as £5 a month, you can help us continue to:
- Report on the stories shaping Jewish life in the UK and beyond
- Bring our community together through shared stories, events and campaigns
- Celebrate the people, culture and moments that define our community
- Support organisations doing vital work across Jewish Britain
You can make a one-off donation or become a regular supporter. Every contribution helps keep our journalism free, independent and accessible to all.
If everyone who values Jewish News gave a small amount, it would make a real difference to our future.
