Israel’s airport authority announced earlier this month that Ramon in the Negev desert, near the Red Sea city of Eilat, will begin allowing Palestinians from the occupied West Bank to travel on Turkish flights to Antalya and Istanbul from 22 August. The proposal is believed to be part of a package of goodwill measures from Israel to the Palestinians unveiled to US President Joe Biden during his visit to the region last month, reportedly offered on the condition that the Palestinians drop the charge for war crimes at the international criminal court. However, on Sunday the Israel Airports Authority said in a statement that the plan had been put on hold and that an announcement would be made when a new date is set, The Times of Israel reported. The statement did not give a reason for the hiatus. Officials in the West Bank city of Ramallah, however, had previously publicly rejected the plan, saying it had not been coordinated with the Palestinian Authority (PA) and bypassed the Palestinians’ right to a sovereign airport. Critics said Ramon, which opened in 2019, has struggled to attract international business. “Israel has failed to turn Ramon airport into an international terminal,” a Palestinian official told the Jerusalem Post. “Now, the Israelis are offering us something that didn’t work for them. This reminds me of the coronavirus vaccines that Israel offered us because the expiration dates were approaching.” Freedom of movement is one of the biggest problems facing people living in the occupied Palestinian territories. Currently, those in the West Bank can only travel internationally via the Allenby Bridge (known as the King Hussein Bridge in Jordan) and then on to Amman. Allenby is often overcrowded, leading to long waits in uncomfortable conditions. In the blockaded Gaza Strip, most people allowed to leave travel to Egypt, driving for a day or two through the dangerous Sinai Peninsula to reach Cairo. With rare exceptions, only high-ranking Palestinian officials and family members are allowed to use Israel’s major international airport, Ben Gurion Airport, near Tel Aviv. Archie Bland and Nimo Omer take you to the top stories and what they mean, free every weekday morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertising and content sponsored by external parties. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Comments attributed to a Palestinian Ministry of Transportation source published in Palestinian outlets last week indicated that the PA would fine or otherwise punish people who sought to use Ramon. “The PA has no right to do or say anything about Ramon Airport. They have permits and VIP cards so they and their families can travel through Ben Gurion, while we have to go to Jordan and spend a day there before the flight and spend money,” said a Palestinian PA critic in a popular TikTok post. . “So don’t sell us patriotism and don’t say it without coordination with the PA. The only thing that interests PA executives is their personal interests.” Before the IAA’s statement was released, many details about the plan remained unknown. A consultant for Israeli airline Arkia told local media that Palestinians will be issued a special permit by specific travel agencies in order to enter Israel and will not be able to bring luggage. All prospective passengers had to be searched at a checkpoint south of Hebron before being transferred to Israeli buses for a three-hour journey to the airport, he added. Israeli media also reported that Eilat residents, as well as the city’s leadership, were unhappy with the proposed arrangement, claiming they had not been informed in advance. The presence of Palestinians in Ramon is a “security threat,” Deputy Mayor Matan Beeri said, adding: “We will not let it happen.” Jerusalem International Airport, also known as Qalandia, was opened in 1924 during the British Mandate. It has been under Israeli occupation since the 1967 Six Day War and was closed to civilian traffic in 2000, following the outbreak of the second intifada (Palestinian uprising). Yasser Arafat International Airport, serving the Gaza Strip, opened in 1998. It operated for two years before it was also closed as a result of the Intifada.
