On Sunday, the first direct commercial flight between Tel Aviv and Doha took off on the sidelines of the first football matches of the World Cup, according to an AFP photographer.
Cyprus Airways TUS Airways confirmed to France Press on Friday that it had received the green light from the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority to operate six direct flights from Tel Aviv to Doha and six more in the opposite direction. The flight took off Sunday morning from Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv. Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Lior Hayat said “history has become history” with “the first direct flight between Tel Aviv and Doha”.
Hayat reiterated advice to Israelis to act prudently while they are in Qatar, stressing that the foreign ministry “will work to ensure that fans behave in accordance with local traditions and laws to prevent any problems.” For his part, Hadar Sehgal, a 35-year-old Israeli fan, described boarding the plane as “special and historic.”
