'Israel' pressuring Trump admin. to ease US travel advisory
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Since the onslaught in Gaza began, foreign airlines have repeatedly canceled and resumed flights to and from "Israel" amid fighting on multiple Axis of the Resistance fronts.
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Passengers have their hand luggage screened by security personnel at Ben-Gurion Airport (Undated, AP)
Struggling with a badly hit tourism sector, Israelis have been urging the Trump administration to ease the US travel advice for "Israel" and are hopeful that it will be amended "soon", according to officials from both occupied territories and the US.
The travel advice has been at level three — "reconsider travel" — since the war on Gaza began, and "Israel" for months has been requesting it be reduced to at least a level two "exercise increased caution" in order to attract travel to the occupation, US and Israeli sources told Israeli media.
The Biden administration delayed responding while the war on Gaza continued, according to authorities.
With US President Donald Trump in the White House and a Gaza truce in effect, "Israel" has increased its attempts to reduce travel advice and persuaded the US Embassy in occupied al-Quds to support the plan.
The mission has recommended to the State Department in Washington that the recommendation be reduced, according to a US official.
The Israeli official surmised that the Trump administration is waiting to see how attempts to sustain the Gaza truce progress in the next days and weeks will unfold before making a decision, adding that the hold-up might be more bureaucratic.
The Israeli plan may have suffered a setback last week, after multiple explosive devices were discovered in buses across different locations, with three explosions hitting three buses in three separate areas, sparking panic in Tel Aviv and surrounding areas.
The next day, the US Embassy in occupied al-Quds issued an order prohibiting all its employees and their family members from riding public buses and light rail for two weeks.
A future statement by the United States would undoubtedly increase aviation traffic to "Israel", something the latter desperately needs to keep its economy afloat.
Since the onslaught in Gaza began, foreign airlines have repeatedly canceled and resumed flights to and from "Israel" amid fighting on multiple fronts.
The scenario has resulted in Israeli airlines, notably El Al, having a near-monopoly on several routes at exorbitant prices.
