This World Cup in Doha will be made easier for qualified Israeli and Palestinian supporters to attend by the operation of direct charter flights between Israel and Qatar, two countries that do not have formal diplomatic ties.
FIFA has announced that direct flights between Tel Aviv and Doha will be available
During the one-month event, passengers travelling from Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion airport to Doha’s Hamad International will be permitted to board planes with match tickets and a valid Hayya fan ID, according to the international governing body of soccer.
Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA, stated in the release that “with this agreement, Israelis and Palestinians will be able to fly together and enjoy football together.”
Which Palestinian residents of the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza Strip this may apply to was not made clear in the announcement. According to an anonymous spokeswoman for Q22, the tournament operator in Qatar, the agreement mandates that Palestinian ticket holders and journalists “fly on these chartered planes without limits since they have equal right to enjoy the event.”
The deal to create “an Israeli office in Qatar to give services to fans arriving for the World Cup,” according to Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid, was reached after months of discussions. It was also decided that the Israeli consular staff will offer consular services to Israeli nationals, according to a statement from Israel’s foreign ministry. Where the team would be located was not stated in the announcement.
The announcement by Israel that its residents might go to Qatar for the World Cup in June, according to Lapid, who is also the foreign minister, “opens a new avenue for us to warm ties.” According to a Qatari official, Qatar’s position on restoring relations with Israel, which is connected to Palestinian statehood, has not changed as a result of the agreement on direct flights.
The official stated, “This is part of Qatar’s commitment to meet FIFA’s hosting obligations and it should not be politicised.” Palestinians will now be allowed to enjoy the first World Cup in the Arab and Muslim world thanks to this deal.
Only special visas given for sporting events or conferences are typically available to Israeli passport holders for travel to Qatar. Direct flights connecting the two nations don’t currently exist. There have been discussions with Royal Jordanian Airlines to conduct the World Cup charter flights, according to a source familiar with the arrangement who asked to remain anonymous owing to privacy concerns.
According to FIFA’s statement, the flying arrangement is “subject to Israel’s operational capabilities and security standards.” According to the source, at least 3,900 Israelis and 8,000 Palestinians have filed for Hayya cards. In 2020, agreements engineered by the United States saw Qatar’s Gulf Arab neighbours Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates establish ties with Israel.