UAE carrier to start direct flights to Israel

By Ahmad Hatem
ABU DHABI (AA) – Emirati airline FlyDubai said Wednesday it will start flying regular flights with Israel as of Nov. 26.
In a statement, the state-owned company said it will operate two flights daily between Dubai International Airport and Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport.
The move came after the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Israel signed air transportation and direct flights agreements, in the wake of their normalization deal.
"The start of scheduled flights will contribute to economic development and create further opportunities for investment," FlyDubai's CEO Ghaith al-Ghaith said.
The UAE and Israel signed US-sponsored agreements to normalize their relations in September, with the two sides inking a host of agreements in the fields of investment, trade, science and technology.
The normalization agreements have drawn widespread condemnations from the Palestinians, who say the accords ignore their rights and do not serve the Palestinian cause.
*Ahmed Asmar contributed to this report from Ankara