World Cup: direct flights between Israel and Qatar, open to Palestinians

Europe 1 with AFP 8:28 p.m., November 10, 2022

Direct charter flights will allow Israeli and Palestinian supporters to reach Qatar during the FIFA World Cup from November 20 to December 18, Fifa announced Thursday, while the two states do not maintain diplomatic relations.

"Today's historic announcement provides a platform to improve relations in the Middle East," said Fifa President Gianni Infantino, but the statement from world football's governing body gives little details on the modalities of these "temporary" flights.

Clarifications given "in due time"

FIFA only specifies that they will be "subject to Israeli security rules and operational capabilities" and that details will be given "in due course".

The authorities of the Hebrew State, they, did not comment on this subject.

In normal times, apart from residents of East Jerusalem annexed by Israel, few Palestinians have access to Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv, from where these connections with Hamad International Airport in Doha will depart.

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This agreement "must not be politicized", commented a representative of the Gulf emirate.

"Our position on the normalization (of relations with Israel, editor's note) has not changed. (It) remains firmly linked to the settlement of the Palestinian question."

The host country could not deny access to supporters of any nation and talks had been going on for months, including whether Palestinians would be on board these flights, according to a source with knowledge of the negotiations.

A deal that could be canceled

The Emirate also warned that this agreement could be canceled in the event of an "escalation" in Jerusalem, Gaza or the West Bank.

"This is excellent news for football fans and all Israelis", obtained after "hard work for many months", for his part welcomed the Prime Minister of the Hebrew State, Yair Lapid, not to mention the Palestinian fans.

For residents of the occupied West Bank, international travel is via Jordan, with some exceptions.

Palestinians in the Gaza Strip under Israeli blockade have virtually no access to Israel or its international airport.

These "temporary" flights will be chartered by an airline whose name has not been disclosed but which "already has landing rights in Qatar", it is indicated.

As is the rule for all supporters, passengers will need to have a match ticket and a Hayya card, which acts as a visa to enter Qatar.

Access to the Embassy in Doha

More than 10,000 Israelis and Palestinians have seats for the 2022 World Cup, the first in the Arab world, according to diplomatic sources.

Consular services for Israeli citizens will be provided "through a private company specializing in international travel".

The Palestinians will have access to their embassy in Doha.

Qatar was the first Gulf state to establish trade relations with Israel in 1996, but in 2000 the Jewish state's trade office in Qatar was closed by the authorities and relations between the two countries were permanently severed. in 2009.

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Qatar does not recognize Israel and supports Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist group that controls Gaza.

The shooting death of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who worked for the Qatari channel Al Jazeera, while covering an Israeli military operation in the Palestinian camp of Jenin last spring has further soured their relations.

Since 2020, the Jewish state has normalized its relations with two other Gulf states, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.

The July opening of Saudi Arabian airspace to Israeli planes is fueling speculation about future bilateral relations between the two countries.