First Commercial Flight Between Israel and UAE Takes Off

First-ever direct commercial flight from Israel to the UAE took off on August 31 marking the normalisation of the ties between the two countries. The flight, El Al LY971, carrying dignitaries of Israel and the US passed through the Saudi airspace, which normally was restricted for Israeli air carriers. Reportedly, Saudi Arabia opened its airspace on receiving a request from Washington. Earlier, the UAE had scrapped economic boycott of Israel.