Buoyed by airspace concession, Isreal hopes Saudi will allow its Muslims to fly directly for Hajj

JERUSALEM: After Saudi Arabia opened airspace for Israeli flights,  Jerusalem’s  regional cooperation minister Esawi Freij hoped that Riyadh  will allow members of Muslim minority to fly directly for Hajj next year.

On Friday, Riyadh said its airspace would be open to all carriers – a de facto extension of flyover rights for Israeli planes, which previously had a Saudi corridor only for Gulf destinations, to include various Asia routes too.

Esawi Freijsaid the Saudi decision showed US-encouraged efforts to move the countries toward more normal ties “are at a very advanced stage” that may “turn the dream into reality” for Muslims like himself.

“I believe that, in a year, the Muslim Israeli citizen will be able to fly from Ben Gurion (airport near Tel Aviv) to Jeddah and from there to Mecca to fulfill his pilgrimage duty,” Freij told public broadcaster Kan.

He declined to say on what this prediction was based. There was no immediate comment from Riyadh.

Last week, Freij said he had asked Saudi Arabia to allow direct Tel Aviv-Jeddah flights for Muslim pilgrims. A US official told Reuters on Thursday that such permission was in the works.

Saudi Arabia has long admitted Muslim pilgrims from Israel, but they must travel through third countries. That ends up costing around $11,500 for a week-long stay, Freij said.

Pilgrims from neighboring Arab countries pay around half that. Saudi Arabia does not recognize Israel saying this would require addressing Palestinian statehood goals first.