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Israelis and Palestinians will be able to share flights directly to the FIFA World Cup in Qatar from Tel Aviv for the first time in what’s being called a massive breakthrough agreement for relations between Israel and Qatar.
FIFA made the announcement Thursday. Charter flights to Doha from Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv for the tournament will be open to all soccer fans from the Palestinian territories, FIFA said. It includes residents and accredited media works from the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
"We are delighted that an agreement has been reached for Israeli and Palestinian fans to visit Qatar and attend matches during the FIFA World Cup," FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in a news release.
"With this deal, Israelis and Palestinians will be able to fly together and enjoy football together. I would like to thank our Israeli, Palestinian and Qatari counterparts for helping to make this happen. Football has the power to bring people together, it transcends all boundaries, crosses all borders, and fosters unity like nothing else. The World Cup is the ultimate symbol of football's unifying power, and today's historic announcement provides a platform to improve relations across the Middle East."
FIFA said a temporary consular service would assist Israelis in Doha during the tournament. Around 3,800 Israelis and 8,000 Palestinians have applied for the Hayya card, which acts like an entry visa to Qatar for the soccer tournament.
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A Qatar Airways aircraft lands with members of the U.S. national soccer team at Hamad International airport in Doha, Qatar, Thursday, Nov. 10, 2022. The U.S. team's first match is against Wales on Nov. 21. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
"Consular services for Israeli citizens will be provided in coordination with the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs through a designated privately operated international travel company based in Doha," FIFA added.
Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza face a roadblock as they do not have their own airport and must apply for a hard-to-obtain permit to use the airport in Tel Aviv. Usually the permits are only approved shortly before takeoff, it at all. Israel could still refuse to grant exit permits to residents of blockaded Gaza seeking to fly out of Tel Aviv to attend the World Cup.
Israeli officials didn’t have any immediate details on how many flights would take place or how many Palestinians would be allowed to travel. Ahmad Deek, the director-general of the Palestinian Foreign Ministry, told The Associated Press it was the first he’s heard of the flight news.
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The Al Thumama Stadium in Doha, Qatar, Dec. 6, 2021, is one of the stadiums that will host the World Cup. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)
Israeli citizens cannot ordinarily fly directly to Doha or enter Qatar on their Israeli passports. The two countries have no diplomatic relations. However, Qatar helps mediate between Israel and Gaza’s militant Hamas rulers during rounds of conflict.
Doha told Israel "any escalation in Jerusalem, Gaza or the West Bank during this time will risk the cancellation of the agreement – including the direct flights," the Qatari government said.
Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid welcomed the agreement. He said it was a result of "hard work over the course of many months."
The Qatari government said the travel arrangement for Israelis was "part of Qatar’s commitment to FIFA’s hosting requirements and it should not be politicized."
A friendly match takes place between Japan and the U.S. at Merkur Spiel-Arena on Sept. 23, 2022, in Duesseldorf, Germany. (Alex Gottschalk/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)
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The World Cup begins Nov. 20. FOX Sports is the U.S. broadcast rights holder.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.