Israel is considering canceling the direct flights to Sharm el-Sheikh, Reshet Bet Radio reported Thursday morning, citing a political source. According to the source, next week the foreign ministry will hold an internal discussion regarding the continuation of the direct flights to South Sinai. The political and security implications of maintaining or canceling these flights will be examined, and cancelation would indicate a freeze in the steps designed to warm relations between Israel and Egypt.
Sharm el-Sheikh was returned to Egypt as part of the peace agreement after it had been occupied in 1967. It is a center of attraction for tourists from all over the world, especially from Europe and Israel, and an important source of cash for the Egyptian government.
On July 23, 2005, a terrorist attack in Sharm el-Sheikh using two car bombs and an explosive suitcase killed 90 and injured about 200, among them Israeli tourists.
On April 2022, direct flights connecting Ben Gurion International with Sharm el-Sheikh International were launched by the Israeli airlines Arkia, Israir, and El Al, and the Egyptian airline Air Cairo.
The flights were seen as a step toward warming relations between Cairo and Jerusalem, and encouraging Israeli tourism to Sinai, by removing the long queues at the Taba land crossing. There are 13 Israeli airline flights a week on average.
The report contradicts the recent statement of Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen that he had spoken with his Egyptian counterpart about increasing the number of flights.
Earlier this month, in one of the most serious events since the signing of the 1979 peace treaty between Israel and Egypt, three Israeli soldiers — one of whom was female — were shot and killed in a terror attack by an Egyptian policeman (Egyptian Terrorist Kills 3 IDF Soldiers in Cross-Border Terror Attack).
