Peace message prominent on Israel-uae trip
Flight numbers reflect 2 nations’ calling codes
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — From the Israeli captain’s emotional greeting in Arabic upon takeoff in Tel Aviv, to the warm Emirati reception on the ground in scorching Abu Dhabi, it was obvious this was no typical flight.
Monday’s El Al flight LY971 marked the first direct flight from Israel to the United Arab Emirates, placing a significant stamp on this month’s historic U.s.-brokered deal to normalize relations between the two nations.
The journey was steeped in symbolism. U.S. and Israeli flags adorned the tarmac at Ben-gurion Airport as Israeli music played, and the word “peace” was emblazoned in English, Hebrew and Arabic above the cockpit window of the Boeing 737. On board, the “Making History” motto featured prominently on each seat’s headrest covering and complimentary fabric bags of the “Abraham Accord Inaugural Flight” were distributed.
A special menu was prepared, highlighting touches of Middle Eastern cuisine, and the direc
tor-general of Israel’s Health Ministry even handed out a limited-edition mask featuring the Israeli and Emirati flags. The American diplomats on board sported a tri-country face mask amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Prior to boarding, the deal’s mastermind, President Donald Trump’s
senior adviser and son-in-law
Jared Kushner, waxed poetic on the flight’s meaning.
“While this is a historic flight, we hope it will start an even more historic journey for the Middle East and beyond,” he said. “This is a very hopeful time and I believe that so much peace and property is possible in the region and across the world.”
But only after takeoff did that take on concrete significance, as the El Al aircraft veered east toward the desert terrain rather than west over the Mediterranean Sea as it does on nearly all its outbound flights. Pilot Tal Becker proudly announced the historic moment when the aircraft crossed into Saudi airspace for the first time ever, noting that the flight would now take “just” three hours and 20 minutes to Abu Dhabi, rather than the more than seven hours it would have taken to circumvent the Arabian Peninsula.
By granting Israel access, Saudi Arabia gave a strong indication of its approval of the newfound normalization with Israel and raised hopes it could be next to take its covert relations with Israel up a notch.
“We are all excited and look forward to more historic flights that will take us to other capital cities in the region, advancing us all to a bold, prosperous future,” Becker said over the loudspeaker system. “Wishing us all salaam, peace and shalom.”
The flight number , LY971, was a gesture to the UAE’S international calling code number. Tuesday’s return flight, numbered LY972, is named after Israel’s international calling code.