Israel sees commercial aviation deal with UAE within days

Israel and the UAE will sign a commercial aviation deal imminently, an Israeli official said on Tuesday, as the countries cemented newly normalised relations ahead of reciprocal delegation visits expected next week. Direct air traffic between Tel Aviv and Abu Dhabi or Dubai would be a tourism and business boon for Israel and the Gulf power, while also easing Israelis’ travel to Asia. Saudi Arabia has agreed to expedite such flights by letting them pass over its territory. But Riyadh has indicated it is not ready to establish formal ties with Israel, as the UAE and Bahrain did at a Sept. 15 ceremony in Washington. Ofer Malka, DG of Israel’s Transportation Ministry, said the UAE aviation deal is “more or less ready, and we will sign it in the coming days”. Israel has also agreed to UAE commercial flights over its soil to westward destinations and back, Malka told Army Radio. El Al Israel Airlines would likely be used for the initial legs of the trip and Etihad Airways for the last, marking the first direct flight to Israel by a UAE airliner, said the source.<br/>