Israeli Official Says Direct Flights To Saudi Arabia Not This Year But 'Maybe Next Hajj'

Direct flights between Israel and Saudi Arabia, which were hoped to be ready for the 2023 Hajj pilgrimage from June 26 to July 1, will not be implemented this year. Israeli national security advisor Tzachi Hanegbi admitted, "maybe next Hajj we'll be able to do it," in an interview with local broadcaster Kan.

Last month, the Israeli Foreign Ministry stated that Jerusalem and Riyadh were working together toward an agreement that would authorize direct flights between Tel Aviv and Jeddah. The effort was highly lauded for its benefits.

Such an agreement would have enabled Israelis of the Muslim faith, who make up 18-percent of the country's population, to travel directly for the Hajj. Until now, they’ve had to transit via a third country, usually Jordan, at extra cost. 

Israel's Foreign Minister Eli Cohen announced in May that the Jewish state had made an official request to the Saudi kingdom. A senior Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said at the time that the closed talks, conducted under U.S mediation, had a 60% chance of reaching a positive conclusion.