Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara Netanyahu have withdrawn their request to be flown on a private jet to Washington D.C. next week for the signing of the Abraham Accords with the United Arab Emirates.
On Friday, it was also decided that the Netanyahu family will be flown by El Al, rather than Israir, to Washington for the signing of the agreement, the Prime Minister’s Office announced.
The decision comes following criticism of the Netanyahu family’s request to fly separately from the rest of the Israeli delegation.
“So as to not give elements in the media the opportunity to distract the public from the historic peace accords with the United Arab Emirates – and possibly with other Arab states – the prime minister will fly with the delegation on a larger plane, with strict distancing rules in order to protect his health,” the PMO said in a statement.
A day earlier, it was reported that Netanyahu, his wife Sara, and sons Yair and Avner had asked to be flown on a separate, private plane, over fears of contracting COVID-19.
The signing ceremony of the normalization agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates is to be held this coming Tuesday, September 15. The Israeli delegation will be traveling aboard an El Al flight.
Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and UAE Crown Prince Mohamed bin Zayed will head their respective delegations at the ceremony.