Biden Welcomes Saudi Arabia Opening Airspace to Israel

President Joe Biden has welcomed Saudi Arabia opening its airspace to all air carriers, including flights to and from Israel, marking an end to a ban on flights from the latter and a step toward normalizing relations between the two countries.

Biden is set to visit Saudi Arabia on Friday where he will meet with King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman.

A statement from White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan on July 14 said that Biden “welcomes and commends the historic decision by the leadership of Saudi Arabia to open Saudi airspace to all civilian carriers without discrimination” which he said is the result of Biden’s “persistent and principled diplomacy with Saudi Arabia over many months.”

“This decision paves the way for a more integrated, stable, and secure Middle East region, which is vital for the security and prosperity of the United States and the American people, and for the security and prosperity of Israel.”

The president is expected to deliver further remarks on the move later on Friday after he embarks on a” historic flight directly from Israel to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.”

Saudi Arabia announced late Thursday that it would open its airspace to “all carriers” ahead of Biden’s visit to the kingdom.

The Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) said in a statement that the country’s airspace is now open to all carriers that “meet the requirements for overflying” in line with the Chicago Convention of 1944, which stipulates that there should be no discrimination between civil aircraft used in international air navigation.

Shorter Flight Times

The decision will “complement the efforts aimed at consolidating the kingdom’s position as a global hub connecting three continents and to enhance international air connectivity,” GACA added in its statement.

It will also culminate in shorter flights from Asia to Israel, as airlines serving those flights