First direct flight from Israel lands in Sharm el-Sheikh

The first direct flight from Israel to the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh landed on Sunday, an employee of the Israeli Foreign Ministry said on Twitter.
The new route is operated by Sundor, a subsidiary of the Israeli airline El Al. In view of strong demand, at least three flights a week are planned, according to media reports.
Israel and Egypt agreed last month to expand direct flights between the two countries. During the Jewish Passover celebrations, many Israelis visit the Sinai Peninsula.
In October, Egypt's state-owned airline Egyptair had started direct flights to Israel. Previously, Egyptair's subsidiary Air Sinai had flown the route for decades. However, it was described as a "phantom airline" because the aircraft were not marked. Flights had also been suspended during the pandemic.
Egypt was the first Arab country to sign a peace treaty with Israel in 1979, and Jordan took the same step in 1994. However, relations were long considered to be tense.
The new direct flights were seen as a sign of rapprochement. The move followed Israel's establishment of diplomatic relations with four other Arab states - the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan.