Post Mubarak change in Egypt?
Egypt Air – the official Egyptian airline – has deleted Israel from its travel destinations. The airline’s website no longer features the Zionist state among its flight options.
According to the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth, “Israeli travellers intending to fly to Ben-Gurion Airport in Lod did not find ‘Israel’ among the Egyptian airline’s destinations while the capitals Amman, Beirut and Damascus appeared on the map; this is despite Egypt’s proximity to Israel.”
The newspaper pointed out that Egypt Air was the first major airline to remove Israel from its map of travel destinations and that both Turkish Airlines and Royal Jordanian Airways continue to maintain flights to the country. Until recently, Egypt Air scheduled four flights weekly between Cairo and Lod airport.
Air travel between Egypt and Israel was suspended temporarily following the Egyptian Revolution which broke out in January. Last year, 2010, saw a 27% increase in the volume of flights between the two states over the previous year.
Egypt tells Gaza that lifting the siege is a priority
The Egyptian Foreign Minister has told the Palestinians that lifting the Israeli-imposed siege of Gaza – supported by the discredited Mubarak regime – is a priority for the new government in Cairo.
Dr. Nabil El Arabi sent a message to his counterpart in Gaza which was discussed at Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh’s cabinet meeting on 21 March. The Foreign Minister praised the bilateral relations and brotherhood between the Egyptian people and the Palestinians. “The Egyptian government’s priority is the issue of the Israeli siege on Gaza,” he stressed. “We are acting to open the border at Rafah and facilitate an easing of life for the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.”
The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Planning in Gaza released a statement confirming that it has been in touch with the Egyptian authorities regarding the issue of Palestinians returning from Libya. Joint efforts by Gaza and Cairo have resulted in stranded Palestinians being able to pass through the Rafah border crossing.
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry also confirmed that it has sent a letter of condolence to the Japanese government: “The Palestinian people are standing by the Japanese people during their ordeal,” it said.
Source: Middle East Monitor
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