Hamas decries Saudi airspace opening to Israeli airways
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Palestinian resistance faction Hamas criticizes Saudi Arabia for its decision to open its airspace to Israeli aircraft and carriers.
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An Israeli Boeing 767-300ER
Palestinian resistance faction Hamas denounced Friday the Saudi decision to open its airspace to all Israeli airways and aircraft, describing the act as "a reward for the Israeli occupation."
"We reaffirm our rejection of all forms of normalization and contact with the Israeli occupation, which continues to practice Judaisation and settlement activity and violate the sanctity of Muslim and Christian holy sites," Hamas spokesperson Jihad Taha said in a statement.
The acceptance of the Saudi move among the Israelis shows that "normalization is a big favor to the Israeli occupation regime that will further strengthen its presence and influence in the region at the expense of Arab interests," another Hamas spokesperson, Hazem Qasem, told Sputnik.
The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) announced on Friday that Saudi Arabia is opening its airspace for all civil air carriers for overflying.
Riyadh's decision was planned amid US President Joe Biden's visit to West Asia, including to "Israel" and Saudi Arabia, the source told the media, calling the move a "small symbol of the budding relations" between the two nations.
Later on, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said Biden welcomed and commended the opening of the Saudi airspace to all civilian air carriers, adding that it was the US President's persistence and diplomacy that resulted in this step.
In a statement published on the White House's website, Sullivan indicated that "President Biden welcomes and commends the historic decision by the leadership of Saudi Arabia to open Saudi airspace to all civilian carriers without discrimination, a decision that includes flights to and from Israel."
Israeli Transport Minister Merav Michaeli on Friday welcomed as an "important step" Saudi Arabia's decision to lift restrictions on all carriers using its airspace.
"Israeli flights will be allowed in Saudi Arabian airspace. This is an important step by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia that will significantly shorten flight times and lower prices," Michaeli said in a statement.
