July 17, 2026 Categories: Travel / "Peace" Process / Normalization / Abraham Accords / Saudi Arabia
Israelis Return from Emergency Stopover in Saudi Arabia
Over a hundred Israelis spent the night in a Saudi Arabian hotel, returning on a direct commercial flight from Saudi Arabia to Israel on Tuesday.
The story began on Monday evening when Air Seychelles flight HM022 to Tel Aviv was forced to divert and land at the King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, due to an electrical problem.
The Israelis were put up for the night at a hotel in the airport.
Prime Minister Banjamin Netanyahu praised the Saudis, "I greatly appreciate the warm attitude of the Saudi authorities to the Israeli passengers whose flight was in distress and was compelled to make an emergency landing in Jeddah. I am pleased that they are all coming home. I greatly appreciate the good neighborliness."
Israel is currently hoping to bring Saudi Arabia into the Abraham Accords. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said on Monday, that the Saudis have a tremendous amount to gain if they normalize relations with Israel.PM Netanyahu: I greatly appreciate the warm attitude of the Saudi authorities to the Israeli passengers whose flight was in distress and was compelled to make an emergency landing in Jeddah. I am pleased that they are all coming home. I greatly appreciate the good neighborliness. pic.twitter.com/ACeG0IqvH6
— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) August 29, 2023
