After Saudi Arabia, Bahrain allows UAE-Israel flights over its airspace

MANAMA: Bahrain will allow all flights coming to and departing from the United Arab Emirates to cross through its airspace.

The statement apparently allows Israeli flights after neighboring Saudi Arabia issued a similar announcement without directly naming Israel.

The announcement came just days after the kingdom allowed the first direct Israeli commercial passenger flight to use its airspace to reach the UAE.

Flights between Bahrain and the UAE now skirt just north of Qatari airspace as Doha remains banned from the airspace amid a years-long political dispute. Iranian flights to the UAE also don’t need to enter the airspace of Bahrain

Bahrain state news agency quoting a Transportation and Telecommunication Ministry official said the announcement came at the request of civil aviation authorities in the UAE.

Earlier this week, a high-level Israeli delegation flew to the UAE on the first direct commercial passenger flight between the two countries. The flight included US president’s senior adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner.

The flight traversed Saudi airspace for the breakthrough US-brokered agreement by the United Arab Emirates to normalise relations with Israel. The Palestinians have fiercely opposed the deal hampering its own peace talks with Israel.

Bahrain, which hosts the US Navy’s 5th Fleet and a British naval base, has encouraged ties to Israel and a sizable Jewish community.