Minister Ofir Akunis asked Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Monday to postpone the closure of the Sde Dov airport in Tel Aviv, at least until after the holiday of Tishrei.
If there is no last-minute change, Sde Dov will close in about a month. Akunis wrote, "Closing the airport without finding a suitable alternative is expected to significantly harm the city of Eilat and its residents." Referring to Eilat residents being treated in the center of the country for chronic diseases, he added, "Every day, dozens of patients who are in need of treatment are taken off from Eilat to Sde Dov, so closing the airport will make life difficult for them."