Gideon Sa'ar: Canada, here we come!

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar announced today (Thursday) that following a meeting with the Canadian Foreign Minister at the Security Conference at Munich, Air Canada flights will return to service Israel.

Here is the full statement:

Following Foreign Minister Saar's meeting with Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly during the Munich Conference last weekend, and following Minister Saar's request for Minister Joly to work towards resuming flights between Israel and Canada, Canadian airline "Air Canada" announced today the renewal of direct flights between Israel and Canada.

Foreign airlines ceased to service Israel after October 8 due to the danger to airplanes presented by rockets and drones launched by Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Iran-backed Houthi rebels. Some airlines then slowly and fitfully returned to Israel, though they often backed out during escalations such as large Hezbollah missile barrages or during the ground invasion of southern Lebanon.

Things began to change with the ceasefire in the north, which is still holding, and which provides an assurance to airlines that Hezbollah's remaining long-range missiles will no longer endanger planes, crew or passengers.

Most major low cost or long-range airlines, including to India, North America, and Europe now have either returned to service Israel or plan to in the near future.