Europe Denies Landing for Israeli Planes
Charles Johnson
Mon Sep 4, 2006 at 8:25 am PDT • Views: 526
European countries are refusing to allow El Al planes to land and refuel if they’re carrying IDF munitions. (Hat tip: anthean.)
The refusal came from states considered friendly with Israel, including Britain, Germany and Italy, according to Captain Etai Regev, the chairman of El Al’s pilots’ union.
Regev sent a letter of complaint on the matter to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and to the Defense Ministry, the Finance Ministry, and the Tourism Ministry.
According to Regev, El Al flights bearing heavy loads that arrive from U.S. bases “are not given approval by European states to make stopover landings for refueling, for political reasons.
“As a result, cargo planes are taking off from the U.S. with much lighter weight, and are reaching Israel with significantly fewer munitions than needed.”
Regev called this “a substantial blow to state defense.”
Frank says: