Israel holds tender for flight to United Arab Emirates next week

Israel’s government has asked the country’s airlines to submit bids for a special flight to carry an Israeli delegation and top aides to U.S. President Donald Trump to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) next week, an aviation source said on Thursday. Israel and the UAE agreed to normalise relations under a U.S.-brokered deal announced on Aug. 13, and talks on cementing the agreement are due to be held on Monday in Abu Dhabi. El Al and smaller rival Israir both submitted bids for what would be the first flight by an Israeli commercial carrier to the Gulf state, the source said, and a decision is expected later on Thursday.<br/>