Israel operates first flight for Palestinians in the occupied West Bank

Israel yesterday allowed forty Palestinians from the occupied West Bank to travel abroad through an airport in the Negev desert in the south of the country. An Israel Airports Authority spokesman told AFP that forty Palestinians were on board the first Arkia-owned flight from Ramon Airport to Larnaca, Cyprus. Israel prohibits Palestinians from traveling abroad through its airports, with the exception of special permits issued by some of them, and allows residents of settlements in the West Bank to do so. To travel abroad, Palestinians must first reach Jordan via the King Hussein (Allenby) checkpoint and then use one of the Jordanian airports for what they describe as difficult and expensive travel. Jordan confirmed last month that there has been an “unprecedented increase in the number of Palestinian travelers” crossing the border. The Israel Defense Ministry’s Office of Civil Affairs in the Palestinian Territories (COGAT) yesterday confirmed the presence of Palestinian passengers on board a plane bound for Larnaca.