The Israel Airports Authority is preparing for the first international flights for Palestinian Authority (PA) Arabs, Israel Hayom reported.
The flights would take off from Ramon Airport near Eilat and fly to Istanbul, Turkey.
If the flights become a reality, it would be historic in that PA Arabs would no longer need to cross the border into Jordan in order to fly to Istanbul.
The airline slated to operate the flights is Turkey's Pegasus Airlines, which already operates direct flights from Turkey to Ben Gurion Airport. The airline is working to accede to the request and prepare for the flights' operation.
At this stage, the flights would be a sort of pilot, operating in accordance with approval by Defense Minister Benny Gantz (Blue and White). Security sources are examining all aspects of the issue. The process is complex and the travelers would be required to undergo various security processes, which will be determined ahead of time to allow for their arrival in Israel, as well as their boarding of the planes.
If the process does come to fruition, it would require adaptation and raise heavy questions, among them the question of who will be responsible for regulating their entry into Israel, if buses will arrive directly to the Ramon airport, and who will be allowed to fly the route. Another question is who will secure the flights and who will provide pre-flight services to the PA Arab travelers in Israel and abroad.