Arkia lands repatriation flight in Dubai as El Al and Israir face delays
An Arkia repatriation flight landed in Dubai on Friday and is expected to begin its return to Israel shortly, even as logistical hurdles delay flights operated by El Al and Israir. More than 10,000 Israelis are stranded in Dubai and at other destinations from which they had been expected to return to Israel via the United Arab Emirates following disruptions triggered by an attempted crash earlier in the week.
Emirates Disputes Rescue Label
A source close to the government in Abu Dhabi sharply criticized Israeli officials for applying the phrase “rescue flights” to the evacuation effort, telling ynet that the terminology misrepresents conditions on the ground. The source argued that no war exists in the Emirates and that the phrasing implies danger where none is present, asserting that the UAE government has agreed to every operational request submitted by Israel.
According to ynet, the source accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government of exploiting the attack for political purposes ahead of upcoming elections. The source maintained that Abu Dhabi is fully cooperating, noting that Etihad is set to operate eight flights to Abu Dhabi starting Sunday under a stricter security protocol.
Transportation Ministry Confirms Phased Return
The Israeli Transportation Ministry announced Friday that flights operated by Israeli airlines from Dubai to Israel would begin on Friday, October 2, following coordination with all relevant parties. However, the ministry cautioned that necessary preparations and coordination by security officials would cause a delay in the departure of the repatriation flights from Dubai.
The Jerusalem Post reported that UAE authorities revoked landing permission for the El Al flight while permitting an Arkia service to proceed. Emirati officials requested a dedicated cargo aircraft to transport passenger luggage, prompting the scheduling of a freight transport. Additional repatriation services operated by Arkia and Israir are expected to depart tomorrow and on Saturday night, including a Saturday night service operating on behalf of El Al.
Investigation Into Attempted Crash Continues
The travel disruptions follow an incident on Wednesday in which an Omani co-pilot attempted to crash a Flydubai flight after allegedly undergoing Islamist radicalization. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated in a video statement that investigators are examining whether the Omani co-pilot had been acting on instructions from another party. The Indian captain and the Omani co-pilot have been transferred from Saudi Arabia to the UAE, where the investigation is continuing with Israeli involvement.