JERUSALEM: An aircraft carrying Israeli and US delegations to the UAE on Monday will fly over Saudi Arabia, in what would be the first publicly acknowledged entry of an Israeli plane into Saudi airspace.
Israel’s flag carrier El Al will bring aides of US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu – along with travelling journalists – to Abu Dhabi for talks meant to put final touches on a pact establishing open relations between the UAE and Israel.
The aircraft would fly over Saudi Arabia in order to manage its planned three hour and 20 minute flight time. El Al has declined to comment on the route.
The US-brokered deal between the UAE and Israel has raised speculation that other US-backed Gulf Arab countries might follow suit. A senior member of the Saudi royal family said this month that Riyadh would only normalise ties with Israel after the creation of a Palestinian state.