Israeli airline El Al and France resolve their disagreement
The stormy relationship between France and Israel has experienced a significant turnaround this week, as both countries have reached an agreement to resolve a long-standing issue involving Israeli national airline, El Al.
The dispute, which has been brewing for several months, was primarily triggered by the application of a security questionnaire for passengers travelling on El Al flights. This practice, dating back to the 1970s, was particularly targeted at El Al due to its history of hijackings and terrorist acts.
On the French side, a release of work visas for El Al security agents was announced, following a suspension of these visas for nearly six months. The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, however, refused to comment on the matter.
On the Israeli side, a commitment was made to ensure that security control takes place quietly at all times. It is worth noting that many French diplomatic or consular agents had been flying with El Al due to the war with Gaza and Iran, but most European Union airlines, including Air France and Transavia, have resumed flights to Israel since mid-July.
The person who fueled the dispute by voicing a political slogan on an El Al flight has not been identified in the available search results. However, a French air traffic controller at the Athis Mons center was suspended for saying "free Palestine" to an El Al pilot. The air traffic controller's suspension is pending a disciplinary procedure that should last about three months.
Libération was able to confirm this information from an Israeli diplomatic source. An agreement has been reached between the Israeli embassy in France and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, based on "each side taking a step towards the other".
With the resumption of flights by European airlines, there should be fewer French diplomatic status travelers on El Al. This, coupled with the resolution of the visa issue for El Al security agents, marks a significant step towards improving the strained relations between France and Israel.
The security questionnaire for El Al passengers, while still in place, is expected to be less intrusive moving forward, providing a more seamless travel experience for all parties involved.
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