Balloons within the nationwide colors of Israel and Qatar festooned the departure gate for the primary business flight between the nations on Sunday, permitted by Doha for followers of the World Cup regardless of the absence of formal bilateral relations.
The passengers’ pleasure was primarily at with the ability to attend the soccer match – for which Israel didn’t qualify – with such shocking ease. However a number of additionally voiced hope that the short-term continuous connections would clear the best way to fuller detente between the Gulf emirate and Israel.
They have been issued contact playing cards for a discreet Israeli consular delegation despatched forward to supply emergency assist – a reminder of their present semi-recognized standing in Qatar, which is near Iran and has hosted leaders of Palestinian Hamas.
“There have been just a few considerations, I can not deny that,” mentioned Sagi Ashkevitz, who was flying out with three associates to his second World Cup. “However ultimately, the thought of watching (Argentina ahead Lionel) Messi for the final time, along with the concept we are literally making historical past, overcame all the considerations, and we’re glad to be part of it.”
A minimum of 10,000 Israelis are anticipated on the month-long matches, most of them coming by means of third nations. These boarding the TUS Airways aircraft at Ben Gurion Airport had initially been advised they’d have a short stopover in Cyprus. However they acquired a continuous three-hour connection as a substitute, due to a deal introduced by FIFA final week which it described as permitting Palestinians in addition to Israelis to fly direct.
Whereas Sunday’s passengers together with each Israeli Jews and Arabs, there was nobody from the Palestinian territories. In line with Gabriel Mizrahi, CEO of ticketing agent Tiktik, this was attributable to having booked the flight in Might, when his Palestinian purchasers most well-liked oblique routes by means of neighbouring Jordan.
Six extra Tel Aviv-Doha flights for the World Cup have been permitted up to now, Mizrahi mentioned. Return tickets can’t be purchased individually, he mentioned – a method of guaranteeing that those that fly again are the identical passengers cleared by Ben Gurion safety. A minimum of two of the followers mentioned they’d attend matches wherein Israel’s arch-foes Iran have been enjoying.
“I’m going to take a seat on the Iranian facet of the stadium,” mentioned Shlomi Lakash, carrying a baseball cap whose color – Islamic inexperienced – he joked would assist him mix in. “God is with me.” Riad Ziadna, a member of Israel’s Arab minority who held a soccer ball as he stood within the check-in line, mentioned he believed the World Cup could be “the starter’s pistol for coexistence all around the Center East”.