The US Department of Transportation has informed Jerusalem its decision to ban US airlines from operating flights to Tel Aviv is a flagrant violation of bilateral aviation accords, US media outlets reported, Saturday.
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If Israel continues to ban US airlines from operating flights, including those aimed at rescuing citizens stranded overseas, to Tel Aviv this weekend, the department said it would prevent El Al airplanes from landing in the country.
Outside of rescue flights, Ben-Gurion Airport has been ordered shut until Jan. 21 at the earliest to prevent mutations of the coronavirus from entering Israel.
Israel's flag carrier is currently the only airline to operate rescue flights on the Tel Aviv- New York route.
The US announcement has significance for Israel's decision to shutter Ben Gurion International Airport, as United and Delta are two of the world's largest airlines to operate in Israel.
The Transportation Ministry was set to convene, Sunday, to examine how to address US disapproval with the move. Should Israel allow US airlines to fly to Tel Aviv, other countries will likely join the protest.
In routine times, the two US airlines operate dozens of flights between Israel and the US every month. While a majority of carriers ceased to operate their Israel flights, United Airlines was one of the few carriers that continued to fly to Tel Aviv during the pandemic. Although it does not currently fly to Tel Aviv, American Airlines announced it would begin to operate a Tel Aviv – Miami route this summer.
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