The Russian government has threatened to halt flights to Israel, after a dispute arose between Israeli and Russian Ministries of Transport over a new bilateral civil aviation agreement signed a few weeks ago.
In the agreement an Israeli carrier was designated for cargo flights to Russia, and a Russian carrier was designated for cargo and passenger flights to Israel. But because the Russian Parliament has not yet ratified the agreement, no Israeli cargo flights have landed in Russia. In response, Israel's Ministry of Transport is forbidding flights of the Russian carrier to land. The Russians angrily countered with a threat to suspend all flights between Israel and Russia, including 12 weekly flights by El Al Israel Airlines.
Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz said he is instructing the Transportation Ministry to allow the Russian carrier to land despite the lack of parliamentary ratification, and stated he expects Russia to meet its treaty obligations and allow Israeli carriers to continue to land in Russia.