Saudi Arabia denies it gave permission to use its airspace for Israel-India flights
Arab kingdom denies reports it granted Air India approval to operate through Saudi territory
Saudi Arabia is denying reports in Israel that it gave permission to use its airspace for flights between Israel and India.
Israeli news outlets reported Wednesday that Saudi Arabia has granted Air India approval to operate direct flights from Delhi to Tel Aviv using its airspace. Flying through Saudi airspace would knock more than two hours off the time of the flight.
Saudi airspace is closed to any airline that flies to Israel, according to Haaretz. Permission for the Air India route could be the first public expression of the warming of ties between Israel and the Saudis.
El Al, Israel’s national airline, offers direct flights between Tel Aviv and Mumbai, but avoids Saudi airspace by flying over the Red Sea, past Yemen and around the Arabian Peninsula.
A spokesman for Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation said the agency had not given its permission to Air India to use its airspace to fly to Israel.
A spokesman for Air India also told Reuters that the airline is still waiting for the Indian aviation regulator to approve the route.
The report came as Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj was in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, on an official visit, Reuters reported. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited India last month.
Saudi Arabia and Israel do not have official diplomatic relations.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
