UAE's Etihad airlines launches direct flights to Israel

Ambassadors representing both countries were aboard the first flight, The Jerusalem Post reported.

They were joined by a delegation of Emirati tourism representatives and Etihad CEO Tony Douglas.

The flight by the UAE's second-largest airline was welcomed at Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion International Airport with a water-cannon salute.

Etihad launched the new route despite coronavirus restrictions that until this week prevented most foreign nationals from travelling to Israel.

The country has now introduced new regulations allowing travellers who have been vaccinated against Covid-19 or have recovered from the virus to travel to Israel, as long as they take part in PCR testing and a mandatory two-week quarantine. 

Israeli national carrrier El Al and Dubai-based Emirates have also offer direct commercial flights between the two countries.

Tens of thousands of Israeli tourists have visited the UAE in the past few months.

The UAE became the third Arab nation to normalise ties with Israel last year as part of a Trump administration push that also saw Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco forge relations.

Arab and Muslim-majority countries have historically refrained from economic and diplomatic ties with Israel out of solidarity with the Palestinians.

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